Brandon United 2 Consett 0
Albany Northern League Division 1
Brandon, Monday 26 August 2002
  

     

 
 
Brandon: 
Huggins 56, 90
 Cole
McStea
Smith
Pitt
Carter
Carfoot
Patterson
Huggins
Robson (Marsden 82)
Cuthbertson
Ewart 		Consett: 

 Kelly
McKenna
Davison
Butler
Brown
Smith (Hutton 80)
Suddes
Thompson
McLeod
Halliday (Fletcher 86)
Hodgson

 

 

 
 


Macca in the thick of things as usual

 Consett continue to search for their first win of the season after this Bank Holiday Monday defeat at Brandon. The scoreline was no disgrace against a Brandon side who maintained their 100% start to the season with their third straight win. Consett were down to the proverbial bare bones due to injuries and work commitments, with Platten, Sugden, Grimes, Lowdon, Wilson and Gordon all unavailable. Consequently Steve Smith was drafted into midfield for his first start and the bench had a very youthful look about it.

These two sides played out the most tedious of 0-0 draws at Belle Vue in March and it looked like they were going to be serving up more of the same in a drab first half. Brandon had the better of things and tested Stuart Kelly in the Consett goal as early as the 7th minute when Ewart hit a hard and low left footed drive goalwards from 25 yards which the keeper got down well to gather. On 27 minutes a cross from Carter was swung deep into the Consett area and Pitt got up well to head narrowly wide. Just after the half hour mark Brandon thought they had taken the lead when Robson broke free on the right and Patterson side footed home but an offside flag meant the goal was chalked off 

Half Time: Brandon 0-0 Consett

After playing virtually the whole of the last 20 minutes of the first period in Consett’s half, Brandon picked up where they left off and had Consett straight on the back foot. Kelly was at full stretch to save shots from distance twice in the first three minutes after the interval.

It wasn’t long before Brandon’s pressure ultimately paid off but the goal when it came was a scruffy affair. A cross was played in from Brandon’s right towards the penalty spot, which Kelly, Gareth McKenna and Brandon’s Steven Huggins all converged upon and somehow the ball contrived to find its way into the Consett’s net with Huggins unconvincingly claiming the final touch.


Steve Smith in action.

Almost immediately from the restart Brandon could have made it two when Robson found himself in the clear with just Kelly to beat, however his attempted lob sailed well over the bar. Three minutes later Brandon squandered another gilt-edged chance when Patterson side footed wide in front of goal after good work down the right by McStea.


No luck for Ian Davison this time

 In the last quarter of an hour Consett finally started to get into the game and created a few chances of their own. First Andrew Thompson had a shot from distance which was deflected wide, then substitute Andrew Hutton broke into the box and, after doing well to skip past a defender, he sliced his effort high and wide. 

Going into the last five minutes The Steelmen continued to press. Ian Davison had a free kick from fully 35 yards go narrowly past the upright. Then with two minutes remaining Consett’s best effort saw Johnny Brown flick on for Lee Suddes to volley goalwards which Brandon keeper Cole did well to tip over. 

With Consett committing bodies forward in search of an equaliser they were leaving gaps at the back and Kelly was called upon a few times to snuff out Brandon breaks. In the dying seconds though one such break led to the home side doubling their lead, as Marsden squared for Huggins whose shut found the net despite Kelly’s brave effort. 

Full Time: Brandon 2-0 Consett

JPH