A disappointing home defeat for Consett which puts them right back in the relegation mire, just as it was looking like their recent good form would see them pull clear of the bottom three.

Consett went into this game unbeaten in four in the Northern League, and were facing a side that they had already beaten away from home twice this season. Colin Carr was able to put out the side that finished the game against Peterlee last week, with Andrew Thompson pushed into an unfamiliar forward role.

Oliver clears with McLeod ready to pounce.

Washington, strangely, were playing their first away game since 23 November last year. In a run of seven consecutive home games since then, Washington have picked up 16 points which has seen them ease away from the relegation zone to 13th place prior to kick off. Having won their last four the visitors were clearly going to be no pushovers today.

Darren Grimes with a brave header

The match was played in windy conditions which might go some way to explaining the sterile nature of the opening half an hour. There was precious little action to speak of at either end and only Consett can claim to have troubled the keeper. Andrew Thompson floated a free kick into the area which Norris fumbled, although he recovered well enough to save from Johnny Brown at point blank range.

In the ten minutes before half time however Washington were starting to stamp some authority on the game and created a handful of half chances. Danny Battell placed a glancing header from a Hutchinson corner over the bar and then in the 40th minute Hutchinson himself broke into the area but shot straight at James Platten in the Consett nets

Less than a minute later Washington again had a chance to open the scoring when Feasey's infield ball found Hood in space but he fired well over when well placed, and a dour first half ended goalless.

The second half wasn't much better as a spectacle, although Consett started marginally the brighter. In the 57th minute a Lee Suddes corner found its way through to Colin McLeod three yards out but his contact wasn't good enough to convert the chance. Oliver partially cleared, and the move ended with Jeff Sugden, still in a forward position, volleying just wide from the edge of the area.

On 69 minutes Consett's best chance of the game fell to Lee Suddes when a Gareth McKenna cross found him 10 yards out, however his rising effort was deflected over for a corner.

Desperate defending from Washington

Consett were made to pay for the miss just two minutes later when recently arrived substitute Mark Lee was dispossessed in midfield. The ball found its way to Keith Hutchinson 30 yards out whose raking drive sailed past Platten and into the roof of the net. A majestic strike that was totally wasted on a game as poor as this!

Andrew Thompson in action

From that point on there was only going to be one winner and the issue became simply one of whether Washington would extend their lead. They had their chances - a 75th minute Stuart Dixon free kick flew just past the post, then three minutes later Hood found himself unmarked on the right edge of the Consett area forcing a great save from Platten. Nine minutes from time a cross from Oliver made its way through to Chambers in front of goal but he failed to make any meaningful contact with the goal at his mercy. However, with Consett creating little or nothing at the other end, one goal proved to be enough to take the three points.

So, a setback for the Steelmen, although with Peterlee and Prudhoe both losing heavily they remain just above the drop zone. Next week's relegation six pointer at bottom club Newcastle Blue Star is certainly a must-win game now though.