Chester-le-Street Town 1 Consett 1 
Abandoned after 45 minutes - floodlight failure 
Albany Northern League Division 1
Chester Moor, Saturday 23 November 2002
 

     

 
 
Chester: 
Anderson 37 
Wilson
Sowerby 
Wake
Elrington
O'Brien
Andison 
Anderson 
Sheardown
Blower
Cuggy
Turner 		Consett:
Sugden 11
 Kelly
McKenna 
Grimes
Butler
Sugden
Lowdon 
Hodgson
Wilson
McLeod
Halliday
Thompson 
 

 


 

A frustrating afternoon at Chester Moor as an intriguing contest was ultimately consigned to its fate of being struck from the records by some temperamental Chester-le-Street floodlights.  Both teams came into this match on a high - The Cestrians having rattled six past Blue Star last week, while Consett were impressively beating West Auckland. The Steelmen made just one enforced change from the side that saw off West, Neil Lowdon moved into midfield to replace the injured Lee Suddes, while Gareth McKenna returned to fill Neil's right back slot.


Jeff Sugden turns away arm raised after opening the scoring

After a cagey opening Consett took an early lead on 11 minutes.  Following an earlier attack had broken down, Jeff Sugden remained in a forward position to collect a high looping ball over the home side's defence.  With some Chester players appealing for offside, Suggs calmly rounded the keeper and rolled the ball home.

The Cestrians almost struck back immediately when a 25 yard effort from Anderson fizzed over the bar.  It was Consett though who created the better chances in the opening half hour.  Tony Halliday stabbed his effort just wide following an Andrew Thompson pullback, and then midway through the first half Thompson himself blazed over from a good position in the area following fine work down the right by Chris Hodgson.


Colin McLeod surrounded by a sea of blue & white shirts

As the half wore on Chester-le-Street started to come back into the game and in the 33rd minute former Whitley Bay striker Steve Cuggy shot straight at Kelly having created a good opening for himself.  Four minutes later the home side drew level when Andy Blower's shot on the edge of the area was deflected into the path of the onrushing David Anderson who made no mistake from 12 yards.

By this time however the conditions were becoming decidedly gloomy as the the floodlights had gone off almost immediately after being switched on.  Four minutes before half time Sugden almost restored Consett's lead with a close range header from a Darren Grimes corner which Wilson did well to tip over.

Half time was reached with the scores level, but with clear concern over the by now partially functioning floodlights. Of the eight pylons at Chester Moor Park, only six were working which meant one quarter of the field was in near darkness.  After discussion with the managers during the half time interval the referee decided that the game had to be abandoned.

JPH