Barnet started on the front foot and two minutes in Dan Sparkes delivered a cross into Ephron Mason-Clark but he had his shot blocked.

Steven Rigg would head Connor Thomson’s cross wide at the near post before a Barnet corner from Medy Elito was headed goalbound by Dan Sweeney but flicked over on the line by Robbie Tinkler.

Sparkes whipped in another cross with 13 minutes gone, he found Mason-Clark but he put his free header straight at Aynsley Pears in the Gateshead goal.

The Bees took a 24th-minute lead when Shaq Coulthirst played a delightful ball over the top of the Gateshead defence, setting up Mason-Clark who made no mistake, slotting past Pears from close range.

Gateshead should have levelled shortly after, Rigg getting in behind but his first shot hit the post and his instant rebound went wide with the goal gaping.

Just before the break, the match would swing back into the host’s favour when Coulthirst was shown a second yellow card for apparent simulation in the middle of the field.

The hosts found the equaliser three minutes after the restart. Greg Olley got on the end of a cross from Thomson and slid the ball past Mark Cousins from close range.

Mason-Clark had a chance to double his tally when he got on the end of a Callum Reynolds cross, but his header was cleared in the goalmouth.

Mike Williamson gave the ball away soon after the hour mark, setting Mason-Clark through two-on-one, the young winger raced at goal but could only hit the side netting.

Cousins was forced into a great save in the 68th minute when Jon Mellish’s header was deflected, forcing the Barnet number 1 to shift his body weight and quickly get down low to his bottom left corner to hook the ball clear.

The hosts applied more pressure on the 10-man Bees and took the lead when Tom White curled home from the edge of the box in the 72nd minute.

Barnet were now the ones chasing the game, looking for an equaliser. Elito produced a great ball for Johnson who in turn crossed in towards Mason-Clark but Pears beat him to it.

By the dying stages, the Bees were now throwing it all at Gateshead, including moving Sweeney into an advanced position but it would come to no avail, the Heed would pick up all three points and remain unbeaten under their new manager Ben Clark.

Barnet – Cousins, Alexander, Johnson, Reynolds, Coulthirst, Sparkes, H. Taylor, Boucaud (Charles 77), Elito, Sweeney, Mason-Clark (Tarpey 83)

Unused – Matrevics, Fonguck, Tutonda

Attendance – 665 (115 Barnet)