Nuneaton Town 0 - 2 Gateshead

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Adam Campbell may not be a name many people of heard of right now – but in the world of computer nerds and football fanatics – he is legendary.

A star in the making on popular PC game Football Manager, Campbell regularly goes on to play for England and seal a dream move to the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

That may be just fantasy, but it goes to show how highly the 3,500 plus scouts who contribute towards the game rate the five foot seven forward.

Boro fans got to see for themselves his finishing ability on Saturday as the on-loan Newcastle man proved to be the difference between a struggling Nuneaton side and their visitors Gateshead at the James Parnell Stadium.

Campbell had three chances throughout the match, he found the net with two of them and hit the woodwork with the other – the Boro were simply not able to offer anyone with a similar eye for goal at the other end.

The returning Andy Brown may be good, to a lot of Boro fans he is irreplaceable, but he is not Premier League quality and there are many who believe that is exactly what the Gateshead frontman Campbell is.

That is not a slight on Brown, who managed 45 minutes on his long awaited comeback from injury, but a way of showing just what the Boro are up against at times in the Conference this season, taking on full-time teams and ones who occasionally are littered with stars of the future.

Despite the stellar name in the Heed line-up at the weekend Nuneaton did start well but it did not take not long for Gateshead top let their quality shine through.

After a couple of near chances they did finally break the deadlock after just 16 minutes, the on-loan Newcastle man Campbell grabbing the goal after a nice turn on the edge of the box and an even smarter finish past Christian Dibble from the angle.

The Boro threatened fleetingly after the goal but it was the visitors who always looked the more dangerous when going forward.

It was no surprise when they doubled their lead – through the on-loan man Campbell again – this time the tiny frontman was left unmarked at the far post where he had the easy task of tapping home a Calum Roberts cross from four yards out.

The best chance the Boro could muster in the first 45 minutes saw them somewhat fortunately hit the woodwork, Theo Streete looping a header back across goal after a free-kick, one that bounced off the bar rather than finding the crowd of players inside the six yard box.

Gateshead were certainly worth their lead at the break and they were unlucky not to double it just after the restart.

Once again Campbell was the man going close, time he ,managed to beat Dibble again but was unable to beat the woodwork from just outside the box.

The Boro had been given some harsh words by boss Liam Daish at the break, though, and it showed as they cancelled out the visitors in the second 45 in a way they were unable too in the first.

The problem was they did not offer enough going in the opposite direction – but with Brown back in their ranks – and more signings to come – that could all change in the coming weeks.