Gateshead endure ‘frustrating day’ as defensive lapse leads to FA Cup defeat against Stevenage

Gateshead player-coach Louis Storey admitted his side were left frustrated as a promising performance went without reward in their FA Cup exit at the hands of League Two promotion challengers Stevenage.

The in-form visitors arrived on Tyneside in confident mood and duly took the lead just before the midway point of the first-half when Jordan Roberts sent an angled drive beyond Heed keeper James Montgomery and into the net via the far post. Things went from bad to worse for Mike Williamson’s men on 34 minutes as defender Kenton Richardson headed into his own net after getting on the end of a teasing cross from Dean Campbell.

Despite enduring a challenging season, Gateshead roared back into the contest after half-time as former Sunderland academy striker Will Harris struck his first goal for the club with a deflected effort eight minutes after the restart. On-loan Middlesbrough midfielder Kamil Conteh then completed the comeback with a fine long-range effort.

However, a defensive lapse would cost the Heed as Luke Norris made the most of some hesitency to beat the impressive Montgomery and leave Gateshead to focus on their battle against relegation from the National League.

Speaking to The Echo after the game, Storey could not hide his disappointment but admitted his side had shown promising signs that will bode well throughout the remainder of the season.

He said: “The first-half just ultimately wasn’t good enough in regards to how we wanted to execute the game-plan and overall, how we performed. The second-half, there was a big reaction after some feedback at half-time.

“But ultimately, I think the frustrating thing is, when we play our own game and try and impose ourselves against a team in a higher division and we get success from it, we haven’t done that for half of the game. That’s the key learning point of today but it’s also frustrating that for 45 minutes, we didn’t allow ourselves to impose ourselves on them because we didn’t hold ourselves to our own standards.

“The second-half, there was a great reaction for half an hour to 40 minutes, and that’s the bit that we have to take away from today. The lads showed some great character and determination, they showed great bravery to get on the ball and impose our style so it’s a frustrating day but we have to build on that second 45 and take it into our league campaign.”

Gateshead are back in league action next Saturday when they visit Yeovil Town.