MALCOLM CROSBY admitted a lack of ruthlessness proved costly as Gateshead threw away another lead before salvaging a point in a 2-2 draw with Altrincham.

Ryan Bowman ended his goal drought by heading home Jordan Cranston’s cross to give Gateshead the lead, but Crosby’s side spurned a succession of opportunities to add to their advantage at the International Stadium.

Their profligacy proved costly as former Gateshead striker Michael Rankine equalised, with George Bowerman adding a second Altrincham goal two minutes later.

The Heed secured a draw when Jimmy Phillips scored in stoppage time, but Crosby admits his side have to start making their superiority in matches count.

“We should have taken all three points, and it is disappointing that we had to settle for one,” said the former Sunderland boss. “Our first-half performance was very good, but our finishing let us down in the end.

“We can’t be too sympathetic about it – the job is to score goals and if we had been a bit more ruthless in front of goal, we could have gone in 4-0 up at half-time.”

Attention switches to the FA Cup next weekend, with Gateshead hosting National League North side Worcester City in the final qualifying round.

“We seem to have been poor in the second halves of our games of late, and we need to figure out why,” said Crosby. “We have to up our game and make sure we’re good from the first whistle to the last. We need to be at our best to beat Worcester.”

Gateshead: Russell, Ramsden, Curtis (Buddle 83), Mafuta, Cranston, Clark, Marwood (Phillips 68), Bowman, Johnson, Chandler, Honeyman (McLaughlin 79).