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Defeat but no disgrace for Consett as they went down at home to league leaders and reigning Northern League champions Dunston Federation Brewery. The Fed are now seven games away from becoming the first team since Blyth Spartans in 1974-75 to win the Northern League without losing a game, although they won’t have had too many harder games than the one the Steelmen gave them in this Thursday night encounter.
Jon King made just a couple changes to the team that lost at Thornaby on Good Friday. Once again Stephen Brown was called into the centre of defence to replace the unavailable Rod Butler, and up front King handed a debut to Andy Banks, a new signing from
Thornaby.
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 Paul
Curry keeps a close eye on Pickering
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As might have been expected, Dunston might a bright start to the game and gave Consett a scare in the 9th minute when Mickey Farrey’s 25 yard effort rebounded back off the post with Platten beaten. In the 16th minute both number sixes, Consett’s Lee Suddes and Fed’s Steven Holmes, saw free kicks from outside the box easily caught by their opposing keepers, then a couple of minutes later Jeff Sugden headed a Suddes corner over the bar as the Steelmen showed that they were capable of threatening themselves.
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 Lee
Suddes wins a header
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The Fed were denied by the woodwork for a second time midway through the first half when a well worked move saw Graeme Armstrong break down the right and send in a low cross to Benn Thompson who swept the ball up onto the bar. Within a minute though Dunston’s pressure finally paid off and they took the lead with a picture book goal. Holmes lifted a ball into the box, which Consett only partially cleared as far as Thompson who sent an unstoppable strike past Platten and into the corner of the net.
Many would have expected The Fed to go on and win comfortably from this point but Consett battled well and restricted the visitors to just one further goalscoring opportunity in the first half. That came ten minutes before the break when Armstrong raced onto a through ball and attempted to place a header over Platten, but the Consett keeper gathered it easily.
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Half time: Consett 0-1 Dunston
The Steelmen began the second half like men possessed and were back on level terms within a minute of the restart. Wayne Edgcumbe carried the ball across the edge of the box before laying a pass into the path of the onrushing debutant Andy Banks, who took one touch before slotting home an excellent finish.
Consett were very much on top at this stage and Banks tried his luck from a free kick five minutes later, however the ball sailed well over the bar. Just as Consett seemed to be getting a foothold in the game however, Dunston snatched what proved to be the winning goal in the 55th minute. A ball was played into the box to Armstrong with his back to goal, who fell somewhat theatrically under a challenge from Robbie Blemings. It seemed like a soft penalty but there few protests from the Consett camp, other than from Blemings himself who was booked for disputing the decision. Farrey sent Platten the wrong way from the spot and Dunston were back in front.
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 New
signing Andy Banks on the run
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In the 65th minute Farrey was in action again when he curled a free kick round the near side of the Consett wall forcing Platten to make a smart stop. Then seven minutes later Armstrong got behind the Consett rearguard again but dragged his shot wide when well placed.
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 Banks
takes to the air
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With eleven minutes remaining Consett again found themselves with a free kick on the edge of the box and this time Wayne Edgcumbe took it, firing a low shot through the wall which took a deflection that forced Stuart Dawson to parry the ball away.
As The Steelmen desperately sought an equaliser they played the final ten minutes with Jeff Sugden up front. Inevitably this left them vulnerable to the counter-attack and in stoppage time one such break saw David Southern play Steven Pickering in. James Platten came off his line well though and did just enough to snuff out the chance.
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Full time: Consett 1-2 Dunston
JPH
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