Gateshead 0 North Ferriby United 1 - Steve Housham full of praise after gameplan works to bring away day joy

Not many had given Steve Housham’s side much chance of even a point from high-flying Gateshead, but they reckoned without a fine performance from The Villagers.

Housham changed his formation and played five across the back with three in midfield. It was a formation that frustrated Gateshead. The home side generally looked comfortable on the ball when they had time and space but once they got into the Ferriby half they were constantly hassled and harried by Connor Oliver, Danny Clarke and Simon Russell.

The contest between Reece Thompson, who ran himself in to the ground up front for Ferriby, and the hosts goalkeeper Sam Johnson started in the first minute when the goalie was out quickly to take the ball off Thompson’s feet as the striker tried to get control to score.

Gateshead managed a couple of shots from distance before Oliver saw his goal-bound shot deflected in to Johnson’s arms.

The hosts continued to press but were generally kept to long-range efforts that did not really trouble Rory Watson.

At the other end, Danny Clarke hammered in a 25-yard shot that Johnson parried. Unfortunately the ball reached Thompson too quickly and he did not have time to control it.