Gateshead FC 0 Wrexham AFC 0: Tynesiders hold Dragons for a point
Mid-table Gateshead were able to hold promotion chasing Wrexham to a 0-0 draw at the Gateshead International Stadium last night.
Wrexham travelled to the north-east on the back of a 2-2 draw against rivals Tranmere, so were in need of three points to close the gap on leaders Macclesfield Town.
Gateshead came into the game without a defeat in the last three league games so were high in confidence and an upset looked possible for the home team.
The draw was a positive result for Gateshead as the Heed as the 0-0 draw was their first clean sheet in 14 matches and marked four unbeaten in the league now for Steve Watson's side.
Keeper James Montgomery got his first start since October, as the former AFC Telford shot stopper got his first league start under Watson.
A lively start saw Wrexham challenge Montgomery and put the keeper to the test but later on in the first-half Gateshead started to challenge Chris Dunn in the Wrexham goal.
Russell Penn started a wonderful move from the Heed before the half-time break, as he found striker Jordan Burrow, Burrow held up the ball well before finding Ben Fox whose effort was blocked, Danny Johnson was able to collect the ball and force a save from Dunn.
Wrexham have the best defensive record in the league and the Dragons seemed persistent to keep this record at all costs.
The second-half saw few chances but a brilliant opportunity fell for the visitors midway through the half. Chris Holroyd fired a superb volley but a equally superb save from Montgomery kept the score at 0-0.
It took until the final few minutes of the match for another great chance to fall to the Dragons as James Jennings fired a deadly cross into the box and Holroyd was able to get his head to the ball but from inside the six-yard box Holroyd managed to put his effort wide.
The point see's Gateshead sit in 14th, ten points clear, off the relegation zone and Wrexham closed the gap on top place Macclesfield to just three points as the Reds now sit in 3rd.
Credit to Alun Roberts, freelance, and The Daily Post for imagery used in this article.