Wayne Phillips' long-range free-kick in the 82nd minute proved to be difference as Gateshead beat AFC Telford 1-0 in front of an impressive crowd of 4,121 at the International Stadium in the Blue Square North playoff final.
Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes because of the crowd congestion but, once the match started, it was Telford who had the better of the opening 45 minutes.
And the Bucks really should have been ahead at the interval but Danny Carey-Bertram fired wide after being given a second chance following a good save by Heed goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite on his final appearance.
But Gateshead came back strongly in the second half and Phillips, in particular, was a constant thorn in the side for his opposing full-back Lee Vaughan.
Vaughan struggled to cope all night and received his marching orders after 76 minutes for a second booking when he handled another Phillips' cross.
That gave Gateshead the impetus to win the game in the normal time, although the goal itself was a little streaky as Phillips' speculative dead-ball effort bounced past everyone and nestled into the corner of the net.
Perhaps the only thing missing was a goal from Lee Novak on his final appearance for the Tynesiders.
Having scored 28 times in just 38 appearances since his early season move from Newcastle Blue Star, Novak now joins Lee Clark at League One team Huddersfield Town in a £150,000 move.
And the Heed will have to reinvest that money sensibly to survive the big step up to the Blue Square Premier.
It is a much-changed top division of non league football since they last played at that level in 1997-98.
Luton Town, Chester City, York City, Wrexham, Oxford United, AFC Wimbledon and one of Cambridge United or Torquay United will be among the clubs with whom Gateshead will have to compete next season.
But confidence in chairman Graham Wood and manager Ian Bogie is high after a hugely successful last two campaigns.
And it should be appreciated just how far back Gateshead have come since the days of the Unibond First Division in 2003-04 and the depths of 2004-05 and 2005-06, when the Tynesiders recorded consecutive finishes of 17th in the Unibond Premier Division amid financial strife.
In 2007-08, a sprightly and more youthful team won promotion to the Blue Square North, beating Buxton 2-0 in the final.
A season of consolidation was expected and this looked to be the case as Gateshead settled into a midtable spot in the early part of the season.
But from September onwards, fired on by Novak's goals, the Tynesiders remained unbeaten at home and only some late-season away defeats at Stafford Rangers and Kings Lynn prevented a title success.
It meant that the playoffs were required again but Gateshead knew they would have home advantage in any final after finishing as runners-up.
A 1-0 win away at Southport in the semi final first leg was followed by a 1-1 draw at home to set up Friday's thrilling finale in front of the biggest Gateshead crowd at a competitive game for four decades.
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On Sunday, Whitley Bay became the first Tyneside club to win at Wembley since Whickham in 1981 after beating Glossop North End 2-0 in the FA Vase Final.
Goals from Lee Kerr and Paul Chow in the ten minutes before half time settled the tie in front of 12,212 fans at the newly-constructed stadium.
The margin of victory could have been even greater but Adam Johnson's outstanding effort from inside his own half was pushed onto the bar by the Glossop keeper Matt Cooper.
And the Seahorses missed a whole host of chances early in the second half to put the match beyond any doubt.
Bay had reached the final on the back of a thrilling cup run which included a tense semi final win over Lowestoft Town after the Suffolk club had knocked out at the same stage last season.
The final started just as tentatively and Johnson's shot off the woodwork was matched by Glossop's Nick Bailey.
But the two goals put Bay in complete control. Kerr opened the scoring, beating the Cooper on near-post after cleverly making space for himself.
And Chow doubled the advantage just before half time, applying a cool finish on the break for his 40th goal of the season.
Bay left themselves vulnerable to a dramatic comeback as Chow headed against the bar and Glossop then enjoyed their best spell of the game in the last 15 minutes.
But the Bay rearguard held firm to become only the fifth club to win the trophy twice. They had previously enjoyed success in the competition when they beat Tiptree United 1-0 at Villa Park in 2002.
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And if Newcastle United show a fraction of the spirit on display by Gateshead and Whitley Bay, they should have no problems making it a Geordie hat-trick, giving Alan Shearer his first win as manager.
Not only that, but victory against Middlesbrough in the Premier League at St James Park tonight will move the Toon outside of the relegation zone for the first time in six matches.
That's because Hull City lost 2-1 at home against Stoke City, a result which mathematically ensures the Potters' survival.
Elsewhere at the bottom, West Bromwich Albion beat Wigan Athletic 3-1 to join the Toon and Boro on 31 points but with a much worse goal difference.
And Sunderland extended their lead over United to five points with a 0-0 draw at Bolton Wanderers.
But the Toon play twice at home - Middlesbrough tonight and Fulham on Saturday - before the Mackems next match away at Portsmouth.
Ho'way the Lads!
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