True, City had a front-row of props, a second-row who didn’t appear and an injury in the opening 5 minutes that forced full-back Phil Stewart to retire, but the reality was that they quickly paid for a poor start as the home side piled into them to lead 12 – 0 within the first 11 minutes.

A fine try by winger Cameron Mather, who outpaced the City cover as Gateshead ran from a scrum in midfield which full-back Scott Cartner converted, put them ahead and they quickly added to it up when prop John Thandi charged down a clearance kick and followed up to score their second try.

Using the firm wind well to secure field position, the home side continued to control and it was only in the last 15 minutes of the half that City started to impose themselves. After a series of big attacks, Nathan Bushnell came off his wing to break through the middle for their first try which scrum-half Paul Armstrong converted and they added a second 3 minutes later, centre Craig Dominick finally forcing his way over to capitalise on good continuity in a series of attacks. Armstrong again converted and suddenly they were narrowly ahead.

But if they thought that was the turning point, they were wrong as Mather ran in his second try when City lost the ball in their own 22 and the home side moved it wide creating a defensive mis-match. Cartner converted and Gateshead had re-established their lead at 19 – 14.

However, a try by replacement David Elliot in the left corner on the stroke of half-time after City had driven up the middle levelled it at the interval and, with the wind at their backs in the second-half, City may have expected an easier ride, but although they went ahead after 52 minutes when Bushnell ran in his second try from a fine off-load by stand-off Arnie Stevenson which Armstrong converted to establish a lead they never again lost, it was still very hard going against a determined Gateshead side.

Armstrong and Cartner exchanged penalties and with City reduced to 13 men, two having been yellow-carded, Mather completed his hat-trick of tries when Gateshead created a big overlap after a fine Cartner run to reduce the deficit to 27 – 29 and set up a grand finale.

Another Armstrong penalty with 3 minutes remaining settled the issue however to give City a 27 – 32 victory in a game where, in fairness, the result could just as easily have gone the other way.

CITY: Phil Stewart; Tom Elliott, Brad Pears, Craig Dominick, Nathan Bushnell; Arnie Stevenson, Paul Armstrong ©; Colin Hogg, David Atkinson, Benny Parkinson, Kevin Showler, Kyle Wilson, Chris Metcalfe, Will Jewitt, Peter Dent.

Replacements: David Elliott, Max Bailey, Andy Kirkup.