Gateshead 1–6 Southend United: six before the break, and a journey worth making
Sam Austin’s first-half hat-trick led an extraordinary Southend performance, with Harry Cardwell scoring twice and Kyle McAdam adding the other.
Six goals before half-time. Even written down, it takes a moment to sink in.
Southend made the long trip north and delivered an opening half that settled the match before the interval. Austin scored three, Cardwell two and McAdam one, while Massiah-Edwards marked his first start with the assists for the opening two goals.
Two assists, eight minutes
Massiah-Edwards wasted little time making his start count. His through ball sent Cardwell clear in the sixth minute and the striker finished past Noah Phillips.
Two minutes later, the winger worked his way into the area from the right, escaped Alex Lankshear and rolled the ball into McAdam’s path. After his spectacular strike at Carlisle, the full-back scored again, driving into the far corner.
It was already an excellent start. Austin made it better in the 19th minute, meeting Daley-Campbell’s low cross after the full-back had been given room to advance down the right.
The half that kept giving
At three ahead, Southend had a commanding position. The final minutes before the break turned it into something extraordinary.
Coker and McAdam combined on the left before the captain’s shot deflected to Cardwell. The striker hit it into the roof of the net for his second in the 40th minute. Austin then struck from outside the area two minutes later, finding the bottom corner.
There was still time for his third. McAdam pulled the ball back and Austin finished low into the corner in first-half stoppage time. The same player who had opened his season’s account against Tamworth four days earlier now had a hat-trick.
Southend went in 6–0 ahead. For the 423 travelling supporters, the long journey had already acquired a story they would be telling for a while.
A much quieter second half
The second period brought a different pace. Southend retained possession, Dyer used his bench and neither side created much in front of goal.
Battrum replaced Daley-Campbell at half-time, with Oyebade, Omochere and Colclough following just before the hour. Popoola later took over from Massiah-Edwards, whose first start had produced an immediate attacking contribution.
Gateshead took away the clean sheet in the final minute. Luke Supyk’s cross came off David Eguaibor and struck the post; Eguaibor followed up to score from close range. It altered the score without changing the afternoon’s story.
The Shrimpers-online verdict
Sometimes there is no need to hunt for a complicated verdict. Southend were decisive, created openings in different ways and took them. Six first-half goals is an afternoon to savour.
Austin gets the headline for his hat-trick, but the contributions around him made the performance. Massiah-Edwards created the first two, Cardwell finished twice, McAdam scored and supplied the sixth, and Daley-Campbell delivered for Austin’s opener.
The late concession will frustrate the defence. It should not prevent us enjoying the quality of the first half or the value of another away win. Nine goals across the Tamworth and Gateshead matches have turned two promising performances into six points.
Barrow at Roots Hall is next, and it will begin at 0–0 like every other match. For now, though, this one belongs to the supporters who made the trip and the players who made it so rewarding. Up the Shrimpers.
Match details
Team line-ups
Starting XI:
Phillips, Ferguson, Holgate, Lankshear, Robinson, Spellman,
Home, John, Issaka, Hiwula-Mayifuila, Boatswain.
Substitutions:
Supyk for Issaka 45′, Lewis-Burgess for Hiwula-Mayifuila 45′,
David Eguaibor for Boatswain 69′, Coyle for Spellman 81′.
Other substitutes:
Lavery, Jameson, Smith.
Starting XI:
Joe Duncan, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Ben Goodliffe, Dan Cox,
Kyle McAdam, Darren Oldaker, Oli Coker, Zavier Massiah-Edwards,
Sam Austin, Leon Chambers-Parillon, Harry Cardwell.
Substitutions:
Ryan Battrum for Daley-Campbell 45′, Rayan Oyebade for McAdam 59′,
Promise Omochere for Cardwell 59′, Ryan Colclough for
Chambers-Parillon 59′, Josh Popoola for Massiah-Edwards 69′.
Other substitutes:
Jack Sims, Anthony Hartigan.
