Gateshead boss gives honest verdict of Solihull Moors defeat as Heed star gets England call

Gateshead interim manager Rob Elliot refused to criticise his players after they fell to a home defeat against National League play-off rivals Solihull Moors.

After two draining away days at Woking and Boreham Wood, the Heed made the perfect start to the contest when Ben Worman grabbed his first goal for the club with just three minutes on the clock after making the most of neat approach play from Kain Adom and Marcus Dinanga.

However, it was the visitors that took a narrow lead into half-time as Thavon Campbell and Jack Stevens punished errors in the home defence before Stevens doubled his tally from the penalty spot ten minutes into the second-half. Dinanga gave Gateshead some late hope when he flicked a Dajaune Brown header into the empty net from inside the six-yard box - but an equaliser remained out of reach for Elliot’s men and the Heed fell to their first home defeat since mid-December.

Speaking after the game, the former Newcastle United keeper told The Echo: “The lads have been absolutely incredible for me and for the club for so long so there’s no point criticising them. I think a bit of tiredness and fatigue comes into it after all of the travelling over the last week but there are no excuses. Solihull were excellent, we need to get better. We were really good, we just got punished for seven or eight moments overall but on reflection I think there were a lot of chances where we could have scored. We just needed a bit of composure near the end and I said to the lads I’ve got to understand the game more in terms of the setup and maybe there is a little bit of us, as a young squad, needing to understand game management a bit more and realising how to hurt teams.”

There was some positive news for Gateshead in the aftermath of the defeat after vice-captain Ed Francis received a call-up to the England C squad for their game with their Wales counterparts later this month. The Heed midfielder follows in the footsteps of the likes of Greg Olley, Kenton Richardson and Robbie Tinkler in receiving a call-up to the Three Lions non-league squad during their time at the International Stadium. Hartlepool United striker Mani Dieseruvwe and former Darlington winger Jack Lambert will join Francis in the squad.

There was further recognition for Gateshead’s form when midfielder Callum Whelan was named as the National League’s Player of the Month for February. The former Manchester United academy star has been in fine form as his side challenge for a place in the National League play-offs - although he revealed one team-mate felt he should have beaten him to the award.

He said: (Marcus) Dinanga had six goals, and the strikers always nick it, don’t they. It’s been my best month in a Gateshead shirt, I feel. I’ve been quite consistent in my performances and I think I was good, I did well and I worked hard. But yeah, Dinanga was in my ear about scoring six, so I thought it would be close.”