Bogie boys up for final push; BLUE SQUARE NORTH.

Byline: JEFF BOWRON

GATESHEAD expect a bumper 2000-plus gate when they take on AFC Telford United in the Blue Square North play-off final at the International Stadium on Friday night.

The Tynesiders are now just one game away from rubbing shoulders with the likes of Luton Town, Wrexham, Oxford United and Mansfield Town.

Ian Bogie's side beat Southport 2-1 over two legs in the play-off semi-final after yesterday's second leg on Tyneside finished all square at 1-1.

Lee Novak's 28th goal of the season gave Gateshead a half-time lead, with Robbie Booth replying seven minutes into the second half.

The Sandgrounders, however, couldn't take the game into extra-time and Gateshead now face a massive game against Telford on Friday.

Bogie said: "The Conference North play-off final will be a fantastic occasion and we deserved to beat Southport over two legs.

"We had to endure some roughhouse tactics and their lad should have been sent off for the elbow in the head that left James Curtis requiring stitches.

"Graeme Armstrong forced the error for our goal when Novak showed great composure to round Southport keeper Tony McMillan to score.

"We played well in the first half and could have been more than one up, and even after Southport equalised Paul Musselwhite didn't have an outstanding save to make.

"Once again we defended heroically and I am proud of the players. It's been another great season and we are one game away from bringing more success to the club." After the kick-off had been put back 10 minutes due to crowd congestion, Carl Jones put an eight-yard free header over the bar from a Phil Turnbull corner.

The breakthrough came after 23 minutes when Adam Flynn's backpass from out wide was cut out by Novak, who rounded the keeper to put Gateshead two up on aggregate.

Southport levelled when Musselwhite came out on top in a one-on-one with

Cieran Kilheeney, only for Robbie Booth to hammer home the rebound.

In front of a 1,408 crowd, Gateshead lost their fluency after the break in a tense game of few clear cut chances.

Matty McGinn's deflected 25-yard free-kick flew inches wide and Flynn headed over four minutes into injury time as Southport pressed for an equaliser.

Gateshead, however, had done enough to set up Friday's big showdown with Telford, who knocked out Alfreton Town 5-4 on aggregate in the other semi-final..