Forest Green moved top of the National League with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Gateshead.

Early and late goals from Liam Sercombe and Christian Doidge proved the difference in a game which the hosts otherwise had the better of for large spells at the International Stadium.

Sercombe opened the scoring with a deflected strike in the sixth minute but Gateshead responded with Tom Allan and Jovan Malcolm forcing saves from Jed Ward.

Ward also denied Tyrelle Newton late on and Mark Beck headed against the crossbar for Gateshead in stoppage time but Doidge made sure of victory with a last-gasp tap-in.