Gateshead 1 Tamworth 2

Dec 4 2011 Sunday Sun

IT HAD been 56 years since Gateshead last reached the third-round of the FA Cup – well, you can make that 57 after they suffered a last-minute heartbreak against Conference rivals Tamworth.

Already trailing, the Heed were reduced to 10 men before the break when defender Chris Carruthers was sent off for hauling back Kieron St Aimie.

Jak Alnwick saved St Aimie’s spot-kick and, after being second-best in the first half, Gateshead hit back to level through Nathan Fisher.

But with a replay in the Midlands looming, a place in today’s third-round draw was cruelly snatched away from Ian Bogie’s men in the last minute.

That it was two howlers from teenage on-loan Magpies keeper Alnwick that sealed Gateshead’s fate made it even harder to take.

He spilled two corners to present the Lambs with gift-wrapped goals after earlier having kept The Heed in the game with a string of fine saves.

It was a Jekyll & Hyde performance from the youngster that also included that 42nd-minute penalty save.

But for Alnwick’s shot-stopping and some indecisive finishing, Tamworth’s passage to the third round for the third time in seven years would have been sealed earlier.

Such was Gateshead’s second-half fightback, it was the cruellest of exits after they looked to have earned a replay on away territory.

“The second-half performance with 10 men was magnificent and the least we deserved was a replay,” said dejected Heed boss Bogie. “I’m not going to point fingers at individuals.

“Alnwick has made a couple of big mistakes in the game that have cost us, but he also kept us in it at times.

“The effort and application from the lads was excellent. After we equalised it was one-way traffic and Tamworth relied on the counter-attack.

“To lose the tie in the manner we did in the last minute was a real blow, but we’ve got another big game at Stockport County on Tuesday and have to move on.”