Gateshead 2 Darlington 0

TWO first-half goals by Jon Shaw gave Gateshead a 2-0 win over Darlington last night at the International Stadium.

Both teams fielded strong sides, with the Heed including two former Quakers in their starting line-up in Sam Russell and Jamie Chandler, while Rob Ramshaw was on the bench for what was a low-key game.

Played in front of a sparse crowd, the National League scored their goals just before the break, the first coming on 43 minutes when Shaw headed home Josh Gillies’ pinpoint cross.

And in injury time the striker doubled the lead with another header, this time meeting a set-piece taken by full-back Simon Ramsden, who is from Newton Aycliffe and joined Gateshead this summer from Motherwell.

By that stage Darlington’s David Dowson saw a good chance saved by Russell, while Quakers keeper Peter Jameson did well to get both hands on James Marwood’s effort from distance.

Darlington were without Kevin Burgess while Adam Nowakowski was on the bench. They gave a game to defender Tom McNamee, a former Sunderland youngster, while trialists Wilson Kneeshaw and Lewis Gibbons were substitutes.

After the break both sides made a raft of changes, though Shaw was inches away from his hat-trick when attempting another header.

Neeshaw cut inside and fired low into Russell’s arms, while the former Quakers keeper also denied Nowakowski.

Darlington’s next friendly is next Saturday at Harrogate RA.

Gateshead: Russell, Ramsden, Cranston, Chandler, Curtis, Clark, Marwood, McLaughlin, Shaw, Gillies, Phillips. Subs: MacDonald, Ramshaw, Kanda, Leadham, Baxter, Buddle, Pattison, Briggs, Allen, Hailes.

Darlington: Jameson, Brown, McNamee, Portas, Hunter, Watson, Youhill, Turnbull, Cartman, Dowson, Thompson. Subs: Nowakowski, McClaren, Gibbons, Kneeshaw, Bell, White