X25 (4925) - Wrekenton Bus Link to Barley Mow, Vigo Lane - 10:16 to 10:31
I was meant to be getting a later bus straight to Gateshead Stadium until I realised that I had left my 'things at my mothers house.
I ran around to Wrekenton Bus Link forgetting that I had to nip to the bank, luckily I got there just in time. I proceeded to board 4925 and ask for my Nexus Cat in which I got my usual response of "They aren't valid" to which I say "They are to Barley Mow" followed by the driver saying "Oh Sorry". Anyway, the engine on this bus is brilliant, I love the sound of the engine on this particular Solar, it reminds me so much of when I used to wait for the 777 and you could here the engine of the prestige roar as it climbed the bank in Barley Mow. Is it a prestige like engine?
Only 4 people were on this bus though, three of which got off at Portmeads leaving only me on for the remainder of my journey. It was a decent ride but you can feel every pothole the bus hits when you are sitting on top of the rear wheel. One thing to note is that the interior is starting to look very worn with remains of the old yellow interior starting to show up quite prominently again. 8 out of 10
X25 (East Lancs Lolyne - Barley Mow, Vigo Lane to Gateshead Interchange - 10:45 to 11:10
Finally! A Lolyne on this service! I am sick of having to stand squashed in on the 10:45 from Barley Mow but finally it is a Lolyne! The journey was good on one of the refurbished examples, although I must say I do still prefer the old unfurnished examples with the old tatty feel to them. The driver had a face like a smacked a**e. I really hate this particular driver, you can seriously tell he hates his job.... or people. There was a very good load with the bus becoming pretty much full by the time we were at Portmeads/Northside! 6 out of 10
Tyne and Wear Metro - Gateshead to Gateshead Stadium
Just a short hop on this one so not much to report apart from the man who was staring at me for the full two minuets!
Gateshead 3-2 Eastleigh - Gateshead International Stadium
A third game without a win leaves Gateshead seven points adrift of fifth-placed Forest Green Rovers, with only four weeks of the regular season remaining.
Again without a host of first-team players through injury, a depleted Heed side huffed and puffed against Richard Hill’s Spitfires, but were undone by the visitors’ ruthlessness in front of goal.
It was Eastleigh who began the brighter, with the Tynesiders’ on-loan goalkeeper Joel Dixon pulling off an acrobatic stop on the quarter-of-an-hour mark to deny Harry Pell from nodding in Brian Howard’s corner.
Howard himself then curled a 25-yard free-kick high of the target, before the Hampshire outfit edged in front.
Former Barnsley midfielder Howard led a swift counter-attack and threaded the ball through for Constable, who turned the ball home with a cool left-footed finish.
Gateshead responded positively to falling behind, and should have restored parity on 31 minutes, as Michael Rankine smashed the ball against the crossbar from close-range following Carl Finnigan’s knock-down.
But Rankine made amends within seconds, glancing home a superb cross from Craig Baxter to register his fourth goal of the season.
The Heed were enjoying their best spell of the afternoon, and were inches from completing the turnaround on 34 minutes, as Jon Shaw planted an Alex Rodman free-kick against the crossbar, before Valentin Gjokaj turned the rebound onto the post.
Despite ending the first-half impressively, the Tynesiders’ momentum was stalled after the break.
Constable spurned a golden opportunity to restore Eastleigh’s lead on 52 minutes, nodding Craig McAllister’s cross wide of the far post after a well-timed run.
Just after the hour-mark, McAllister himself then forced Dixon into a fine stop from 20 yards, before heading Howard’s corner high of the target at full-stretch.
Gateshead were living dangerously, and only a terrific clearing header from Rankine prevented Constable’s flicked effort from flying into the top corner of the net following another Howard corner.
With 15 minutes remaining, Eastleigh were rewarded for their perseverance.
Constable connected with Jack Midson’s cross from the right, and, despite Dixon pulling off a superb stop to his left, McAllister prodded home the loose ball.
And the Spitfires all but put the game to bed ten minutes later, as Constable swept home Midson’s cross from close-range with Dixon powerless.
The Heed were rocking, and were fortunate not to concede a fourth late on, as Constable powered the ball against the crossbar after latching onto Midson’s through-ball.
In the final minute of normal time, however, the Tynesiders pulled one back through Shaw’s downward header from a Matty Pattison corner.
But any hope of salvaging an unlikely point came and went two minutes into stoppage time, as Pattison failed to connect properly with a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box.
Gateshead: Dixon, Baxter (Orrell, 73), Curtis, Shaw, Pattison, Gjokaj, Chandler, Ramshaw, Rodman (Sainte-Luce, 73), Finnigan, Rankine.
Goalscorers: Rankine (32), Shaw (90).
Eastleigh: Flitney, Green, Beckwith, Constable, McAllister, Midson, Strevens, Evans, Howard, Turley, Pell.
Goalscorers: Constable (25, 83), McAllister (74).
Attendance: 1,231
Referee: Ben Toner
94 (Solar) - Gateshead International Stadium to Grey Nags Head - 17:13 - 17:21
Again this was just another short hop on the bus, it was a comfortable journey BUT again yet another driver with poor customer service. Go North East seriously need to improve on this front. The majority of this journey was spent complaining about the result to my friend Lee (Don't worry I wasn't talking to myself
) therefore the journey went very quickly. 7 out of 10Grey Nags Head - 17:21 - 18:28
The subjects on this weeks agenda were: Gateshead match, Mobile Phones, Daylight Robbery and Politics! All washed down with peanuts and pork scratchings..... Plus some free chips
10 out of 1021 (Plaxton President) - Gateshead Interchange to Barley Mow Post Office - 18:32 to 18:51
Well a president turned up which lead to mass confusion in the interchange! With all the thick people who obviously can't read asking each other "Is this the 21" and "Hew Hini de ye na if this is tha 21" Anyway...... The journey was good and very comfortable. Again the journey flew by as me and Gateshead veteran supporter Arthur discussed the match that we had just witnessed. 7 out of 10
82 (570 Dennis Dart MPD) - Barley Mow Estate to Washington Galleries - 19:33 to 19:46
I swear the seats on this bus are ridiculously comfortable! This journey again was very pleasant, mainly because I was the only person on the bus all the way to the Galleries! I spent the first five minuets of the journey talking to the driver as we both know each other pretty well. I'm going to miss the MPD's on the 82 but sadly they just aren't big enough for daytimes
10 out of 10X1 (Volvo Wright Gemini 2) - Washington Galleries to Wrekenton Bus Link - 19:59 to 20:09
Thank god they changed drivers! The lady who will remain nameless that was driving the X1 before my current driver I cannot stand! How she even has a licence is beyond me! Anyway, the bus was good but after a long day the inside was covered with cans and bottle of Budweiser and Carling. Driver was canny and we got to Wrekenton in double quick time which was good. 8 out of 10
Well, what a day yesterday was! My next review is schenduled for Thursday when I will be out and about with Davie, then on Friday expect another one as I will be travelling to Hetton as Gateshead's Ressie's take on Shildon in the DDC Final. On Saturday I'm in Grimsby for the match so don't expect a review! I'll be surprised if I can make it back on two feet after the last time down there
Lee