Gateshead continued their impressive home form with their third consecutive home win and clean sheet against Macclesfield Town.
Fraser Kerr scored his first for the club five minutes into the game despite initially seeing his strike disallowed for offside before the decision was overturned.
The Heed doubled their lead through Jordan Burrow’s close-range header on the stroke of half-time to strengthen their grip on the game before Jordan Preston’s second-half strike rounded off the scoring.
Neil Aspin made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Wrexham in midweek, with Jordan Preston replacing Robbie Tinkler while Jon Mellish made his first competitive start in place of the injured Callum Williams.
Macclesfield boss John Askey made four changes following their 2-1 defeat at Sutton as Tyrone Marsh, Billy O’Brien, Adam Yates and Danny Whitaker replaced Shwan Jalal, Courtney Richards, Mitchell Hancox and Koby Arthur.
The hosts got off to a dream start as they took the lead through Kerr, who spent time on trial with the Silkmen over the summer.
Preston made a driving run through the heart of midfield and played Richard Peniket down the left-hand side, who crossed to the back post where Kerr side footed in.
The goal was initially disallowed for offside after it was thought to have been helped over the line but referee Danny Middleton overturned the decision to the delight of the home fans.
Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first-half as James Montgomery reacted quickly to parry Scott Wilson’s shot from 20 yards while Billy O’Brien saved Preston’s volley at the other end.
Despite Macclesfield’s pressure on Gateshead’s goal it was the hosts who doubled their lead through Burrow in added time.
A rare home corner sent to the back post was turned back across goal by Kerr where Burrow lay waiting and made no mistake to score his first of the season.
Burrow almost got a second just after half-time via a defensive mix-up as O’Brien fumbled an aerial ball, but the keeper did enough to put him off with the goal gaping.
Scott Burgess warmed Montgomery’s gloves with a 20-yard free-kick midway through the second half but the Silkmen were soon punished again by a ruthless Gateshead.
Peniket was the creator once more as he played in Preston who found himself clean through on goal before the striker finished low into the bottom right corner to cap off an industrious individual performance.
Gateshead (3-4-1-2): Montgomery; Vassell, Kerr, Byrne (c) (York, 46’), Fyfield, Mellish; McLaughlin, Penn; Preston, Burrow, Peniket (Johnson, 79’)
Subs not used: Tinkler, O’Donnell, Hanford (GK)
Goals: Kerr (5’), Burrow (45+1’), Preston (72’)
Bookings: none
Macclesfield Town (4-4-2): O’Brien; Fitzpatrick, Lowe, Marsh, Wilson, Baba (Richards, 58’), Kennedy, Yates, Toure, Burgess (Arthur, 79’), Whitaker (c)
Subs not used: Thompson, Lloyd, Hancox
Goals: none
Bookings: Wilson (76’)
Referee: Danny Middleton
Attendance: 633 (73 Macclesfield)
MOTM: Preston