Hartlepool United 3-2 Gateshead FC
Hartlepool United 3-2 Gateshead
Tiernan Brooks may have cost Gateshead the chance to be promoted after back-to-back National League losses.
The hosts bagged the opener in the 25th minute with Luke Charman heading home. They piled misery on their local rivals with Reyes Clearly doubling their advantage in the 43rd.
Heed reacted well and pulled one back through Jovan Malcolm in the 47th minute, but Mani Dieseruvwe restored Hartlepool’s two goal cushion in the 72nd. A late Jamie Bramwell consolation wasn’t enough to earn Gateshead any points on the day.
Hartlepool dominated in the first half, winning every duel across the pitch. Cleary made a pass to Nicky Featherstone, only for it to end in the arms of Brooks.
In the 25th minute, Cleary’s free kick was palmed into the air by Brooks, this allowed Charman to head the ball into Heed’s net.
Cleary was not done there as he struck a second time to double Pool’s lead, but it was cleared off the line. Just before half time the ball fell to him inside the area and he remained composed to slot home for two.
Gateshead came back with vengeance in the second half. Malcolm took his chance well to halve the deficit.
Hartlepool were soon to restore their two-goal cushion as Dieseruvwe nodded the ball home after a miss-catch from Brooks.
In the dire of minutes of the game, Bramwell scored from a Gateshead corner to make the score 3-2.
Frank Nouble received a yellow card for taking the ball from Pool midfielder Mason Miley, who was attempting to waste time.
Come the final whistle, the Heed were left inside the playoff positions by two points, whilst Hartlepool walked away with three points.
