Match Report: Gateshead 6-0 Dorking Wanderers

Rob Elliot claimed his first win as interim manager in emphatic fashion in a six goal thriller which saw Billy Chadwick bagging a hat trick for The Tynesiders.

In the first half, Chadwick broke the deadlock with an unorthodox strike that found its way into the bottom left corner.  

Gateshead then found another as Stephen Wearne slipped it past the keeper and Ex-Tynesider Harrison Male. Not long after a third then came for The Heed as Chadwick once more placed himself onto the scoresheet with a tidy finish.

Gateshead’s fourth came via Greg Olley, the skipper finishing from a counter. To make it five, Chadwick sealed off his hat-trick with a calm finish from a one-on-one before Regan Booty’s outside-the-box shot deflection turned out to be the sixth and final goal.

Rob Elliot’s side were still chasing their first win under his internship against a Dorking side which had lost four in their last five. The Tynesiders wouldn’t have their leading goalscorer Marcus Dinanga due to an injury. Dorking however welcomed the return of Luke Moore and Jason Prior back into the matchday squad following their suspensions. The former making a start.

The first half started rather slowly with both teams struggling to produce any real quality going forward, the first chance coming in the seventh minute as Dorking player Josh Taylor lifted the ball over Archie Mair’s crossbar following a George Francombe corner.

The next highlight following this would be in the 19th minute as Olley played a one-two, receiving the ball inside the box he then layed it off to Chadwick whose toe poke proved too strong for Male who despite getting a hand to it couldn’t keep it out.

The first goal proved the turning point in the match as seven minutes later, Gateshead grabbed a second, Wearne capping off a very good piece of passing play, taking it past the opposition keeper and firing it into the net.

The last goal of the first half came in the 32nd minute from Chadwick once more following a Connor Mcbride pass, Chadwick skillfully twisted and turned on the left side before expertly slotting it past the keeper.

Gateshead however nearly made it four in the first half as in the 41st minute Mcbride found himself with only the keeper to beat following another good team crafted chance, Male managing to trap the ball under him to deny and keep Gateshead to three goals going into the interval.

In the second half Dorking, despite making two subs, failed to turn their fortunes around and soon Gateshead would get a fourth via a counter attack in the 50th minute, Grayson with his back facing the goal flicked the ball into the path of the onrushing Olley who slotted it past Male.

It was once again one-way traffic for Gateshead as in the 53rd minute Olley found Wearne whose cross from the byline was met by Storey who headed wide.

Continuing to apply pressure, Olley and Wearne paired up again in the 57th minute as the latter unleashed a shot that rattled off the foot of the post, the rebound finding its way to Lofthouse whose shot deflected out for a corner.

Dorking’s first real chance of the second half came in the 62nd minute as Alfie Rutherford found himself in space inside Mairs box, however his shot could only hit the side netting for Wanderers.

Gateshead however ultimately got their fifth in the 70th minute as Chadwick calmly opened himself up to fire past the Dorking keeper via Lofthouse through ball. 

In the 76th minute Gateshead found themselves unlucky not to extend their lead as Lofthouse was stopped by Male, the shot however found its way to Hannant on the edge of the box whose shot only found the post.

In the 88th Minute, the last goal came as Booty found himself with space to unleash a shot following an Olley corner, his shot although curling deflected slightly off a Dorking defender and nestled itself into the net and sealing the three points for The Heed.