A depleted Gateshead side travelled across to Manchester on Sunday, to face Didsbury Northern, in the 3rd Round of the EHB Men’s Trophy. Though a combination of pain killers, gaffa tape and super glue managed to hold them together long enough to pull off maybe their most impressive win of the season so far.
 Didsbury currently sit mid table one league above Gateshead, but Gateshead are flying high at the moment and have over turned higher opposition in the past.  Didsbury must have fancied their chances as they saw Gateshead trundled into the car park, only eleven players strong in all.  In contrast to this Didsbury boasted a squad thirteen strong; all of whom did not have to make the long journey south west after a tiring Saturday league fixture.  Although Gateshead had eleven players to start the game Hardy, Fleming, Traynor, Carruthers and Honour were all travelling with injuries to compound matters.
 Didsbury started the game off passing the ball around with a high tempo; Gateshead found themselves having to work overtime to cover enough ground to keep the Didsbury attack at bay.  Gateshead’s defence led by Grant, were in outstanding form, leaving Didsbury unable to find a way through.  When Gateshead won the ball they also provided relief to the midfield’s legs, Gorman and Honour constantly providing good outlets to switch play.  After ten minutes Gateshead had failed to really penetrate the Didsbury defence and were playing on the counter attack with limited support.  Though as Didsbury grew in confidence and threw more men forwards they also left more gaps at the back.  This led to the opening goal as Honour went out to meet an attack down the Gateshead left flank forcing the player inside where he was met by Gateshead’s captain, Fleming, with a crunching tackle.  Fleming burst to the halfway line, this time supported by numerous Gateshead players all seeing the opportunity laid down to them in this counter attack.  Fleming slipped the ball through to Traynor and after a one two he collected the ball at the top of the Didsbury “D”.  Still with two defenders to beat he calmly slalomed through them, dummied the keeper and dinked it past him, with just enough on it to cross the line.
Didsbury were still trying to figure out what had just happened to them when they restarted the game.  This time round Gateshead started to make more of an impact on the Didsbury half and the interchange of play was more even.  Didsbury kept working at the Gateshead defence failing to find a way into the Gateshead “D”.  It seemed Gateshead’s tight work as a single unit had an answer for every attack until during an attack of their own Traynor went down holding his hamstring.  With no substitutes this was the last thing Gateshead needed, as Traynor could only stand in the Didsbury “D” and try and take up one of their defenders time to mark him.  White dropped back into midfield to cover Traynor and provided great cover but the constant chasing of the game started to wear on Gateshead.  Didsbury thought they had equalised when they took a quick free hit outside the Gateshead “D” but the ball was rightfully taken back as players where not five yards from the play when the hit was taken.  As time wore on eventually one pass found its way through to a lone Didsbury player.  Keeper McEwen advanced to close the ball down, but with his back to goal the Didsbury player spun McEwen hitting the ball across the face of the goal.  Just when Gateshead thought they had got away with it and Williamson stood in to clear the ball, it bobbled over his stick, leaving an easy tap in for Didsbury forward Hughes.  This was harsh on Williamson whom up to this point had made many crucial tackles and was probably the best player on the pitch.
With the wind slightly knocked out of them Gateshead’s legs started to feel more and more heavy, with Traynor only limited to a slow walking pace.  Didsbury started to put more and more pressure onto Gateshead, forcing them to try and throw the ball out of defence through Grants aerial.  Once again Didsbury’s Hughes stole the mark on the Gateshead defence.  Left completely unmarked in the “D” he picked the ball up and crashed it into the net.
Gateshead played out the rest of the half looking for damage control and to their relief they went in at half time only one goal behind.
Half time gave them time to reorganise and rally. Traynor had opportunity to stretch and assess the damage, an injury which will probably put him out of action for the next two weeks.
 Gateshead started off the second half, with Traynor high up the pitch, still limited to a walk and Hardy pushed deeper into midfield to help out with the leg work.  The second half started where the first half left off with Didsbury dominating the play, though Gateshead defended stronger.  Gateshead struggled to make many opportunities of their own, lacking the legs to support an attack.  Though shortly into the half to everyone’s surprise Gateshead found themselves level through a goal from Hardy.  Traynor was found at the top of the Didsbury “D” and although not very mobile, used his stick skills to beat two players weaving his way towards the Didsbury goal line and then he slipped the ball left to Hardy to slap the ball into the empty net.
This gave Gateshead the adrenaline shot required to get going until the end of the game.  Didsbury kept on pushing for a winner but this time Gateshead started to cause more and more problems on the counter attack.  Aerials thrown out from the back to Traynor allowed him five yards to pick up the ball unchallenged and although far away from the Didsbury goal, he in turn was then able to feed the Gateshead midfield on the charge.  One such attack left Carruthers the chance to storm into the “D” but the keeper made a good save on the resultant flick and the followed up shot after that.  Fleming also made a run into the Didsbury “D” picking the ball up from Traynor on the move he beat one player and lifted over the stick of the next challenge; unfortunately by the time he turned to lift it over another challenge he had run most of the length of the pitch and a successful challenge was made stopping him.  Didsbury had chances of their own, with two great opportunities hit wildly over the Gateshead bar.
Finally a lead was taken again.  This time it was Gateshead and by the hobbling Traynor.  Collinson who had worked tirelessly throughout the game found White forty yards from the Didsbury baseline on the right side of the pitch.  He turned and crashed a rocket of a pass straight at the right-hand side of the Didsbury goal.  Somehow Traynor stretched a long arm out to get on the end of the ball and diverted it past the Didsbury goal keeper at his near post.  Gateshead jumped high, as Didsbury’s heads sunk low.
Didsbury mounted an all out attack for the last fifteen minutes, and Gateshead could barely hang on.  Didsbury in fact thought they had done enough when the ball was deflected into the back of the Gateshead net but alas the pass had been hit inside the 25 yard line from a free, directly into the “D”, so the goal was overturned.
With a minute to go Didsbury won their first penalty corner of the game after McEwen pulled out two of his finest saves, and Gateshead prayed.  The ball came out and the attempted drag-flick skimmed past the on rushing Fleming’s waist, sending high towards the top of the goal, but McEwen was on had to save it superbly with his stick.  As the long corner was taken the final whistle went and Gateshead went wild with joy.
 This win puts Gateshead into the 4th Round of the EHB Men’s Trophy, with a home draw to Alderley Edge.  This will be Gateshead’s toughest test of the season, as Alderley Edge currently sit top of the table a league above, but after Sunday Gateshead will have the belief that if you try hard enough, you can achieve anything.