FC Halifax Town party under the arch with FA Trophy victory

FC 1

Cooke 43

0

JAMIE COOKE'S moment of intuition broke Gateshead hearts and helped to a second victory in seven years.

Man of the match Cooke charged down goalkeeper James Montgomery's attempted clearance into an empty net following Louis Storey's weak back pass just before half-time.

It settled a desperately poor game between two tired-looking sides who never really got out of second gear throughout.

From Tyneside to South Yorkshire, a crowd of almost 30,000 found good voice, even though the action on the field was hardly as uplifting.

With formations mirrored, it was a case of who would blink first as two sides who know each other so well from the obscurity of mid-table in the sized each other up like heavyweight boxers just looking to ease their way through a cagey opening round.

One shot apiece, both well off target, the half looking like petering out to a tame stalemate until someone did blink, on 43 minutes. Storey left his routine pass back to his keeper from the edge of his own box a touch short and Montgomery's hurried clearance was cut out by the alert Cooke, the ball looping into the far corner of the net.

FC Halifax Town?s Jamie Cooke (right) celebrates after scoring their sides first goal during the Isuzu FA Trophy Final at Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday May 21, 2023.

Gateshead upped the tempo slightly at the start of the second half, Owen Bailey's glancing header from a corner, although well wide, offering at least something in the way of encouragement for the travelling Heed army.

Adam Campbell firing an effort just over for Gateshead while, at the other end, the lively Milli Alli registered the first shot on target of the match with a drive into the grateful arms of Montgomery.

Jack Hunter almost put the game to bed when latching onto Cooke's deep free-kick with a volley fortuitously parried away by the unsuspecting Montgomery 

Campbell looked the most likely saviour for Gateshead, forcing one crucial block from Sam Johnson at his near post, but their desperation was summed up by Will Harris' booking for diving as the game dragged to its conclusion. 

GATESHEAD (3-4-2-1): Montgomery 6; Tinkler 6, Storey 6, Richardson 6 (Harris 82); Bailey 6, Magnay 6, Olley 6, Ward 6; Campbell 7, Conteh 6; Martin 6 (Thompson 84). Subs: Marschall, Knight, Archer, Thompson, Franklin, Asikaogu

FC HALIFAX TOWN (3-4-2-1): Johnson 6; J Senior 6, Stott 6, Debrah 6 (Summerfield 63); Capello 6 (Warburton 72), Gilmour 7, Hunter 6, Golden 7; Alli 7, Cooke 8 (Wright 90); Harker 6. Subs: Clarke, Wright, O'Rourke, Lavelle, Sinfield.

Ref: Darren England

Att:27,374

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