Unfortunately, Rangers profligacy in front of goal continued and despite a hard-working team effort, they were eventually beaten 3-1 in a close-fought game where again the result did not do justice to the overall closeness of the match.
As the gam
e unfolded, it was apparent the teams were evenly-matched and for the first 10 minutes there was little to choose between the sides.
Rangers failed to clear a loose ball on the right of defence and Wallsend worked it across to the centre of the pitch. Their midfielder unleashed a great 20 yard shot that left Kieran Taylor no chance in the Rangers goal.
Shortly after, it was 2-0 when a ball through the middle split the defensive pairing of Connor Thompson and Eden Patterson and the forward rammed the ball home.
This left Rangers with an uphill battle. However, they then proceeded to take the game to Wallsend and forced a number of corners as Will Hall, Joe Lewis and Jordan Turnbull combined to make progress on the left.
As Rangers tried a different attacking set-up at corners, it almost paid off as Josh Briggs seized on a great Hall delivery to send a bullet header just wide of the post.
Another corner was cleared to the inside-left position and Joe Lewis hit a tremendous curling right-foot shot that smacked the far post before being cleared. It wasn't all one-way traffic, however, as a Wallsend break ended in a shot that bounced off the top of the Longhoughton crossbar.
Shortly before half-time, the pressure paid dividends from a Sam Eggleston corner on the left. Wallsend partially cleared but the ball was sent back into the area and Chris Gardner headed home from close range.
The pressure continued in the second half as Rangers pressed for an equaliser which on the balance of play they would have deserved.
Good play on the right from Ryan Harrison set Jack Gibson free on the edge of the box and as the defence opened up he chose to pass when a shot was probably the better option and the chance was lost.
An injury to Josh Briggs saw him replaced by his brother Jordan and the defence was reorganised slightly but continued to deal with everything that Wallsend could muster and they did not trouble the Longhoughton goal for much of the second half.
Rangers continued to force a succession of corners but could not squeeze an opening in the scrambles that followed with Sam Eastham and Luke Evans having close-range shots blocked.
Wallsend had the ball in the net for a third time with another long pass through the middle but the forward was adjudged to be offside.
Rangers pushed for an equaliser to the last minutes when they were hit by a sucker punch as a Wallsend clearance was not dealt with.
The forward broke free and as he drove into the box he was brought down by a last-ditch tackle and the referee pointed to the spot.
