WITTON fell to the Geordies for the second time in a month on Saturday, and manager John Davison agreed Gateshead are the only team to have outplayed his side.
Even so, Witton still dropped out of the top 12 again and to finish in the bottom 10 will consign the club effectively to relegation when the non-league pyramid is restructured in the summer.
Albion had chances but were not good enough when moving forward, while Gateshead always looked dangerous on the break. The decisive goal came when Witton failed, not for the first time, to keep possession from a throw-in.
Scott Blandford blazed the first chance over and Terry Burke in the Gateshead goal didwelltoreach acleverCarlFrost chip bound for Mike Moseley as the game started in lively fashion.
Paul Gibson did well in 13 and 25 minutes, to put off Ben Cattenach and then save from Blandford. Then just before the break, Mike Chiltern galloped clear but was denied by Gibson.
Three minutes into the second half, Gateshead took the lead. After Moseley went close with a header, the visitors sped upfield and the unmarked Stephen Harrison was found via a cross field ball. His centre was headed home by Paul Thompson.
Burke denied Craig Sargeson and the keeper turned a looping header from Moseley over the crossbar, although Albion's most creative force was again Darrell Dicken.
Brian Pritchard was caught in possession from a throw in the 63rd minute, and Thompson's deflected shot fell to Blandford to finish expertly from just outside the area.
Albion's fortunes improved with the introduction of David Eaton in 78 minutes. His pass presented Simon Hughes, of all people, with one of the best chances of the game, but the defender shot wide and then his injury-time shot came back off a post.
