Match report: U19s lose to Gateshead

The U19s were beaten 3-0 at the Citadel as Gateshead travel back to the North-east with all three points.

Amari Smith and Flavio Tomas were promoted to the starting line-up, Smith keeping his place from the U18s’ FA Youth Cup match.

Rhys Westcarr had to show the full range of his ‘keeping ability within the first 10 minutes.

Firstly a through ball between the Farsley defenders, into the box was closed down and saved low.

Secondly, a 25-yard effort needed tipping over the bar.

Then Gateshead hit the post, again playing down the right, back heeling the ball to the edge of the box and the recipient was denied by the right-hand woodwork.

Wilfred Frimpong began benefitting from greater Farsley possession on 19 minutes.

Louis Fialdini was denied space to shoot several times on the edge of the box before passing right to Frimpong who shot hard and low to the far post but inches wide.

Fialdini had his chance from the spot just minutes later as Flavio Tomas, central just inside the box, attempted a shot and the defender’s attempt at a clearance caught Tomas’ swinging leg.

Fialdini chose power but lacked the placement, the ball rising over the bar.

Gateshead opened the scoring on the half-hour mark to take full advantage.

A counter-attack down the right saw the ball cut back to the edge of the box. The shot deflected off the covering Jacob Smith and over Westcarr into his net.

A similar Gateshead fast attack followed two minutes later, a ball over the top, behind Jayden Roberts, allowing the attacker on goal down the right. Westcarr again closed down and denied the low shot with his legs.

Both sides went close in the final few minutes of the first-half.

First Gateshead from distance putting the ball past the near left post.

Then Moussa Sidibe was fouled and curled the resulting free-kick round the right of the wall but also the goal.

Gateshead were still threatening with pace in the second-half, two balls over the top of Farsley’s defence running through to Westcarr, however.

Gateshead’s number seven’s pace was clearly a weapon of the visitor’s and he finally got hold of the ball behind the Farsley defence.. His low shot at the far left post met Westcarr’s hand, the ‘keeper at full stretch to tip round the post.

The Heed then doubled their lead, the dangerous number seven with the goal.

A punched clearance from Westcarr was controlled on the edge of the box before being half-volleyed past the right of the Farsley ‘keeper.

It then appeared as Jacob Smith hit his own post, covering inside his own box, it looked like the defender was first to the ball ahead of the Gateshead forward, the ball being poked onto the far right post.

A penalty with a minute of normal time remaining completed the scoring.

The ball hit hard to the left, the Farsley ‘keeper guessing the opposite way.