Eight-goal rout for Diamonds
A sensational performance showed why Rushden & Diamonds are heading for the promotion play-off places.
Skipper Jamie Stuart marked his return with an early goal to open the floodgates.
He headed home Mark Byrne's corner after just four minutes and Max Porter slotted home for the second successive game before the break.
Jefferson Louis, Byrne and Lee Tomlin add further goals in a 15-minute spell at the start of the second half.
Louis made it six of the best, Craig Farrell fired home number seven and Simon Downer completed the rout.
Stuart and Paul Terry were recalled following two-match bans with Curtis Osano and Matt Pattison dropping out of the starting line-up. Former Diamonds striker Daryl Clare missed out on a return with Gateshead.
Aaron O'Connor and Byrne both came close before Stuart opened the scoring while Diamonds continued to create clear-cut chances.
Byrne, O'Connor, Tomlin, Louis and Michael Corcoran threatened to double the lead – although Dale Roberts twice denied Peter Winn from long range.
The second goal duly arrived on 43 minutes as Tomlin's clever flick fed Porter who claimed his first at Nene Park.
Four minutes into the second half Louis provided a crisp finish from Tomlin's left-wing cross.
Louis then set up Byrne for Diamonds' fourth goal and Tomlin's angled drive made it 5-0 before Louis nodded in substitute Farrell's right-wing cross.
Farrell found the far corner and forced a superb save from Paul Farman whose frustration led to a yellow card.
Farman's mis-kick provided a simple tap-in for Simon Downer to make it 8-0.
Diamonds: Roberts; Corcoran (sub Osano, 64 mins), Downer, Stuart, Robinson; Porter, Terry, Byrne; O'Connor (sub Farrell, 60 mins), Louis, Tomlin (sub Smith, 72 mins). Subs not used: Day, Pattison.
Gateshead: Farman; Baxter, Swailes, Heckingbottom, Jones; Parkinson (sub Sinclair, 53 mins), Francis, Turnbull, Winn (sub Phillips, 66 mins); Armstrong, Wake (sub Richardson, 53 mins). Subs not used: Provett, Buchanan.
Goals: Stuart (4 mins, 1-0); Porter (43 mins, 2-0); Louis (49 mins, 3-0); Byrne (53 mins, 4-0); Tomlin (64 mins, 5-0); Louis (75 mins, 6-0); Farrell (77 mins, 7-0); Downer (81 mins, 8-0).
Bookings: Baxter, Armstrong (fouls); Farman (dissent).
Attendance: 1,414 (away fans 31).
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Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
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