The
Tynesider spent youth spells at Newcastle United and Sheffield United before dropping into the Northern League.
Gateshead were dealt a hammer-blow five minutes before half-time as Williamson was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident involving former
Tynesider Danny Wright.
Former
Tynesider Ryan Donaldson had scored a beauty against Gateshead for Cambridge in the Conference play-off final in 2014.
The hosts were inches from taking the lead just after the half-hour mark, as Nathan Arnold latched on to the through ball of former
Tynesider Carl Magnay, before drilling agonisingly wide of the far post.
Former
Tynesider Danny Wright could have helped himself to a hat-trick, but couldn't get the better of Aynsley Pears.
It was a shock to the system and within two years the
Tynesiders found themselves cast into the non-league wilderness.
The Boro lads were quick off the mark and they opened the scoring after just five minutes through Nathan Lowe but the
Tynesiders quickly hit back to level five minutes later.
The Linnets can have few complaints after being outplayed for much of the game by the struggling
Tynesiders, even though the winning goal came in the 91st minute as Gateshead skipper David Goodchild powerfully headed home a right-wing corner.
Recent reports have suggested that the
Tynesiders are prepared to take huge losses on both men to slash the wage bill and bring transfer funds into St James' Park.
Bosses didn't divert emergency supplies to the town because that would have jeopardised 500,000
Tynesiders.
However, the
Tynesiders were unable to hold the home side as the Sabres opened up a 17-10 halftime advantage.