By Mark Chestney

The pressure continues to mount on North Ferriby manager Neil Parsley as his side once again pressed the self destruct button in going down to yet another home defeat this time 4-1 to Gateshead .

They had led 1-0 at halftime through a 31st minute Andy Hayward goal and they looked comfortable.

However they conceded a goal three minutes into the second half against a Gateshead side with a 100 per cent record so far this season. Ferriby just lost their shape and discipline and came off a poor second best.

“The last thing I said to my players before they went out for the second half was to keep their own discipline as I thought Gateshead were losing there’s,” said Parsley.

“They scored from a free kick and our reaction to the goal was poor, our discipline went as did our functional play and our shape. We were punished big time by a very good side.

“I’m under pressure to win football matches, I’ve read articles in the local press about me being under pressure but I don’t know were the statement has come from.

“I can only work with what I have got with the players I have got available and work hard to try and fetch people in to improve the calibre of the side I am putting on the park.”

Considering Gateshead had scored 20 league goals already this season it was an opening 45 minutes which saw Ferriby on top. They took the game to the opposition and deserved to be in front at the break.

Just after the half hour Paul Foot, again playing up front, caused havoc in the area. This led to Graham Botham, making his 200th league appearance for the club, to head onto the bar and for Hayward to tap in for a 1-0 lead.

It was Gateshead who were losing their discipline and disputing every decision. Ferriby’s Chris Bolder was booked in the 15 minute for a late tackle but Gateshead midfielder David Southern went in the book for dissent.

In the second half Southern was the chief tormentor for Gateshead as they exposed every frailty Ferriby had. He was gifted a free kick on the edge of the area which was driven in low and past the diving Antoni Pecora.

Gateshead then took a lead they would not relinquish just four minutes later through Christopher Hughes. Gateshead skipper Steve Bowey put the ball wide to Southern whose pinpoint cross landed on the head of Hughes.

Things again got scrappy as Michael Price went into the book for a lunge on Southern. Gateshead ’s Jamie Curtis also found himself in the notebook for adopting an aggressive attitude.

This was on 77 minutes and after the visitors had made it 3-1 from Steve Salvin. It was after an appeal for a penalty was turned down the centre back headed home past a helpless Pecora.

The defeat was further compounded in injury time when the defence laid off substitute Ian Robson. He attacked them at pace and rifled in a 20 metre bottom corner shot to maintain his side’s unbeaten start to the season.

Team: Antoni Pecora, Andy Thompson, Graham Botham, Ricky Foster, Jamie Waltham, Craig Hall, David Cooke, Chris Bolder, Andy Hayward, Paul Foot, Michael Price

Subs: Matty Bloor for Foster (64), Alex Davidson for Botham (69).
Sub not used: Ben Morley

Att: 156