Gateshead 2-0 Carlisle United: Dire Blues beaten in friendly

The Blues’ build-up to 2024/25 is generating little confidence on this evidence, Owen Oseni’s second-half double earning the hosts a deserved victory which raised more questions about Carlisle’s ability to make any sort of positive mark on the new season.

It should have been a heavier humbling. Luke Hannant missed the target with a spot-kick in either half and while Carlisle hit the woodwork through Charlie Wyke, the hosts also missed a total sitter via Oseni and another great chance through a trialist.

Make no mistake: this was not a showing to inspire. Quite the opposite. Can things come together over the last week and a half of pre-season? Will United see the light against Stockport? How much of this can you put down to the uncertainties of any pre-season – and how much is it right to worry?

Beyond argument is that Carlisle are not playing well, and losing like this only casts doubt over their attempt to recover from last season’s relegation. Oseni shot past Gabe Breeze on 48 minutes then converted another chance soon afterwards.

By then, Hannant had missed the left-hand post with a first-half penalty, then was similarly inaccurate on the other side in the second half. Carlisle actually had their chances, Georgie Kelly and Wyke the best of them, but don’t be lured into thinking United played well, or had any kind of control here.

Simpson retained three starters from the Rochdale game – Jon Mellish, Cameron Harper, Kelly – and otherwise changed his squad around for this penultimate pre-season test. Breeze got his chance to impress in goal, while this may have been a last starting audition for some of the outfielders.

Luke Hannant misses the first of two Gateshead penalties (Image: Richard Parkes)

It was a warm, sunny night in the north east and the task for United was to produce something brighter than they had managed at Spotland. Conditions were at least better than United’s previous, rainy trip here, when they defeated Newcastle’s Under-21s in their last pre-season. This time they were up against a National League side known for playing good football, and whose three-man trialist ranks included the former Blues striker Mark Beck.

Things got under way in the fading sunlight as the game soon settled into a pattern, as Gateshead looked to work their patient passing game and United tried to catch them with their press.

An early foray involved Kelly and Taylor Charters, who started in central midfield, before the hosts intercepted on the edge of their box. Kelly then almost caught out keeper Tiernan Brooks as the hosts tried to play from the back.

This came at a time the home side’s style was warming up and, as they settled into a better spell of possession, new signing Jacob Butterfield tested Breeze from distance, and Joe Grayson ate up ground down the left.

Gateshead lacked a cutting edge but established some control, and a United counter-attack, which saw Kelly cut inside onto Ben Barclay’s pass before shooting wide – was a rarity in this spell. One of the home side’s trialists curled over the bar after some trickery from Butterfield, before Luke Armstrong, on the chase, almost burgled a goal for Carlisle, beating the keeper to the ball but the deflected shot trickling wide.

Both sides then passed up high-quality chances. First, Harper found Kelly free with a corner, but the striker headed off target. Moments later, Gateshead played fluently to get Callum Whelan chasing down the right and his delivery for Oseni was perfect – the point-blank header, though, was not.

That was United’s first reprieve. Another came five minutes later after Will McGowan had cut beyond Barclay before being fouled by the defender. Some Gateshead fans cheered before Hannant had struck the penalty – he duly fired it low and wide, past the left-hand post.

Oseni makes it 2-0 to the hosts (Image: Richard Parkes)

Carlisle, at times, looked poised to break onto their hosts, with Dan Butterworth flitting in the number ten area behind Kelly and Armstrong who were on defenders’ shoulders. Gateshead’s play was, though, more inventive, and it needed a Jack Ellis slide to deny the hosts’ trialist wide man after Whelan had put him in.

Mellish pushed into midfield late in the half as United tried to take some sort of control themselves, but it was elusive before the break, a frustrated Kelly falling victim to the offside flag more than once.

Carlisle made three changes at the break and the second half got under way with some rock music still pumping over the PA system for a good two minutes of action. There were cheers when it was turned off…and then more from home supporters seconds later.

That’s because Gateshead found their way in front in the 48th minute, meeting little resistance from United as they pushed down the right, Oseni eventually going up against Sam Lavelle before cutting in and shooting across Breeze.

Once more Carlisle were adrift to National League opposition. Their attempt to put that right almost saw Kelly pick Brooks’ pocket, but the keeper saved from an angle, while he also saved a driven Armstrong shot.

The Blues were still looking for an edge, while Gateshead looked for more goals, Oseni denied by Lavelle after the hosts intercepted United again – but then doubling their lead after Carlisle had been comprehensively picked apart down the home left, the trialist winger getting free, crossing low and striker Oseni beating Breeze to fire home.

Concerning. To say the least. And it should have been worse, Lavelle soon penalised for a challenge, Hannant boldly stepping up for his second penalty of the game…and missing this one too, clipping the outside of the right-hand post.

After four more Carlisle changes, Brooks denied Armstrong in the box and, at the other end, Thomas stepped in just in time to prevent Hannant finishing a threaded McGowan pass, then Breeze denied a trialist sub.

Charlie Wyke hits the post (Image: Richard Parkes)

United could not be potent in front of goal even when a great chance came along, courtesy of an Archie Davies cross, Freddie O’Donoghue’s challenge and Wyke’s finish, from a great position – the ball coming back off the right-hand post.

It summed up the general direction for Carlisle. O’Donoghue was booked as he caught Grayson on the edge of the home box, Harrison Neal had a late blast blocked, and then Breeze denied Gateshead a third, saving at a trialist striker substitute’s feet when a goal looked likely.

It’s not usual to be watching a friendly and wishing it over, but that’s how this one felt the longer it ticked on. After the final whistle, there was a long debrief on the pitch, Thomas and then Simpson saying their lengthy piece.

The need for much better from Carlisle could not be more urgent.

Gateshead: Brooks, Richardson, Storey (Tinkler 70), Grayson, Whelan, Booty, Trialist (Thompson 70), Hannant, Butterfield (Trialist 61), McGowan, Oseni (Pani 61). Not used: Trialist, John.

Goals: Oseni 48, 56.

United: Breeze, Lavelle (Hayden 60), Barclay, Mellish (Thomas 46), Harper (Vela 46), Ellis, McGeouch (Neal 46), Charters (Davies 60), Butterworth (O’Donoghue 60), Kelly (Wyke 60), Armstrong. Not used: Smith, Allan, Hetherington.

Booked: O’Donoghue.

Ref: Seb Stockbridge.

Crowd: 668 (223 United fans).