Poppies beaten, Diamonds seal dramatic win while Steelmen face FA Cup replay

Gateshead find the net with one of their first-half goals as Kettering Town suffered a 3-1 defeat in the north-east. Picture by Peter Short

Kettering Town were brought back down to earth with a bump after their opening-day win as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at Gateshead in the Vanarama National League North.

The final outcome was pretty much decided when Gateshead scored three goals in the space of eight first-half minutes.

Cedwyn Scott gave the hosts the lead and it was doubled by Macauley Longstaff before Scott’s second of the game made it 3-0 after just 23 minutes.

The Poppies did hit the crossbar before half-time and then Callum Powell was denied by a wonderful save from Jacob Chapman early in the second half.

However, Powell did get his goal soon after when he tapped home when unmarked at the far post.

It proved to be only a consolation, however, as Gateshead saw things out.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds picked up their first win of the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central season as they claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Coalville Town at Hayden Road.

Diamonds made the perfect start following their midweek defeat to Banbury United.

A corner found Patrick Case at the back post and he headed it back across for captain Liam Dolman to nod home from close-range.

However, Coalville levelled just past the half-hour when Tim Berridge was fouled in the area by Joel Gyasi and Billy Kee stepped up to send Dean Snedker the wrong way from the spot.

It looked like the game was heading for a draw but Gyasi was the late hero with a fine solo goal to seal the points.

Corby Town face an Emirates FA Cup preliminary round replay at Soham Town Rangers on Tuesday night after they shared a cracking 3-3 draw at Steel Park.

The Steelmen started brightly and took a deserved lead when a cross to the far post was headed back into the far corner by Lewis White, who returned to the team following injury.

And Corby looked to be well in control eight minutes later when a good move ended with Steve Diggin scoring his fourth goal in four games from close-range.

However, Soham pulled a goal back when Alistair Conway was played in and clipped the ball over namesake Martin Conway in the Corby goal.

Oliver Ward should have levelled when he headed wide from a corner while Corby were dealt a blow when captain Jake Duffy was forced off with an injury.

And Soham were level three minutes into the second half when White was adjudged to have handled a cross from the right and Declan Rogers stepped up to rifle the penalty into the roof of the net.

Corby were awarded a penalty of their own when Alistair Conway handled from a corner but Diggin saw his spot-kick saved low down by Finley Iron.

And it looked like they were heading out when Lee Chaffey found the net from Alfie Connor’s free-kick with 16 minutes to go.

However, the Steelmen kept going and earned a deserved replay when Jordan O’Brien’s stoppage-time free-kick took a deflection and left Iron helpless.