Robinson brings down Macca in the area - penalty!

Consett quadrupled their points tally for the season with this gutsy performance against Washington in District 11. Although the three points were not enough to lift them from the bottom of the table there were plenty of good things in this performance which could be taken into the ongoing fight to get away from the wrong end of the table. From the side that lost at home to Morpeth on Wednesday Jeff Sugden (injured), and the Scott Wilson (absent) were replaced by Johnny Brown and Gareth McKenna.

Washington started the brighter of the two sides and should have taken the lead with one of a flurry of chances in the opening four minutes. The best of these came from a Scott Oliver free kick which clipped the bar two minutes into the contest. In the 9th minute Kevin Leighton wasted another chance for Washington when he slid in at the far post to send a right wing cross well over the bar from 6 yards.

Having weathered the early storm Consett came back into the match but the hesitancy in front of goal that was so evident against Morpeth was all too obvious again today. Darren Grimes was creating all sorts of problems for the home side down the Consett left and he came closest to scoring in the 12th minute with a dipping effort that went just over.

Given the even start to the match, Consett had every right to feel that Lady Luck was deserting them yet again when they went behind just before the half hour mark was reached. A free kick was very harshly awarded against McKenna near Washington's left touchline, and inevitably it resulted in a goal. Ian Dodds connected with a downward header at the back post which gave Stuart Kelly no chance, although questions could once again be asked of the Consett marking which allowed him to place the header under no challenge.

Andrew Thompson almost restored parity with a brilliant turn and shot just before half time but the home keeper wasn't tested and Consett trailed at the interval.

Hodgson shoots across the face of goal.

Thompson slams home Consett's second.

Agony and ecstacy - Thomma celebrates, Metcalf holds his head.

The second half saw the Steelmen emerge a different team. Unlike previous games where conceding a goal had tended to demoralise them, this time they set about their hosts with a purpose. Two minutes into the second half Lee Suddes got in front of his marker to plant a header into the arms of Michael Norris from close range. Moments later though the equaliser came when an awful clearance by Norris went straight to Colin McLeod who brought the ball under control before lashing it into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Grimes' effort goes just over.

Consett surged forward and created chance after chance. Thompson came close with a free kick from 25 yards on 56 minutes, however ten minutes later he was to get his name on the scoresheet and give Consett the lead. McLeod broke well down the left and sent a ball into the middle to the advancing Thompson. He controlled it well, cut inside the defender, and slammed home the second from just inside the box.

Washington made a couple of substitutions in an attempt to reverse the tide and this almost had an immediate impact when Neil Hood forced a good save from Kelly within two minutes of coming into the game.

The Steelmen were soon on top again though and Chris Hodgson might have made it three in the 77th minute when he shot across the face of goal, with McLeod sliding in and failing to connect. Two minutes later Consett made the game safe when man of the match McLeod fell in the area under a wild challenge from Robinson. Macca got to his feet to hammer the resulting penalty into the middle of the goal.

The visitors played out the remaining ten minutes with no major scares and headed back up the A1231 with a valuable three points.

Full Time: Washington 1-3 Consett