A hard loss to take for The Heed at the Racecourse Ground as Wrexham came away with a 1-0 victory in a game of few clear chances.
A goal from Dragons’ substitute and debutant Alex Reid meant that Gateshead made the journey back from Wales still looking for a win away from home.
Neil Aspin made two changes to his team that won 3-0 against Torquay on Saturday with Fraser Kerr coming in for the injured Scott Barrow and Richard Peniket replacing Danny Johnson.
The hosts meanwhile made one change to the side that lost 1-0 at Dover this past weekend with Ntumba Massanka replacing Akil Wright.
An early free kick saw the Dragons’ Scott Boden played through, striking across James Montgomery’s goal and hitting the post, only to be caught offside.
The first ten minutes saw the majority of the play being kept in Gateshead’s half, with Wrexham applying pressure with little reward.
Gateshead’s first clear chance of the game came as Theo Vassell delivered a precise long ball to Callum Willams on the right wing, Williams delivered a peach of a cross finding Robbie Tinkler who headed just wide of the right post.
However, Callum Williams’ game was ended prematurely due to a calf injury as he was replaced by Wes York.
Half an hour into the first half The Heed managed to craft a chance through ambitious attacking play from Vassell, resulting in a Paddy McLaughlin strike flying just over Wrexham’s crossbar.
The Heed went in at half time heads held high having had the majority of chances, but failed to give Wrexham stopper Chris Dunn any real trouble in the first 45.
The opening 10 minutes of the second half were tame, with Gateshead hitting the ball long with no success.
The first chance of the half fell to Wrexham 66 minutes in, as Jack Mackreth delivered a decent ball in from the right, resulting in Dragons’ debutant Alex Reid only just missing a connection on the volley.
However, 71 minutes in, substitute Reid made good on his second chance on goal.
After Gateshead failed to deal with a long ball over the top, Reid calmly slotted low past Montgomery putting the hosts up 1-0.
88 minutes gone saw one of Gateshead’s best and only chances of the game, a powerful run up the right from York created a clear chance for Danny Johnson whose hard strike from the edge of the box was smothered by the Wrexham keeper.
The game finished 1-0, leaving Gateshead yet to find a win from their two away trips this season.
Gateshead (5-3-2): Montgomery; Vassell, Kerr (Preston, 75’) , Bryne (c), Fyfield, Piniket; Burrow, Tinkler, Mclaughlin; Penn (Johnson, 58’), Williams (York, 17’)
Subs not used: O’Donnell, Hanford
Goals: None
Bookings: Penn (25’), Peniket (44’)
Wrexham: Dunn; Jennings, Smith, Pearson (c), Mackreth (Rutherford, 68’), Wedgbury, Massanka (Hurst, 90’) , Carrington, Kelly, Roberts, Boden (Reid, 58’)
Subs not used: Dibble, Wright
Goals: Reid (72’)
Bookings: Kelly (38’), Jennings (84’)
Referee: Karl Evans
Attendance: 4,097 (Gateshead: 35)
MOTM: Penn