A second half fightback saw The Steelmen come from a goal down to pick up three vital points in the Arngrove Northern League title race. The win leaves Consett in second place, a point behind leaders Durham who have a game in hand.

Manager Ken Lindoe was forced to make changes to the side surprisingly beaten by West Auckland in midweek. Mark Patterson and Steve Johnson both picked up injuries in that game and were unable to start although Johnson was at least able to take a place on the bench. Michael Coulthard and Steven Brown came into the starting line-up with David Pounder partnering Mattie Moffat in attack.

The first chance of the game fell to Consett old boy Andy Bulford who had recently signed for The Motormen. Following Hodgson’s right wing corner, Bulford hooked the ball goalwards but Brown headed off the line. At the other end, Pounder curled a 20 yard shot wide and then Craig Robson’s effort, from the edge of the box, was straight at home keeper Newton.

Newton was in action again after 23 minutes when he acrobatically tipped over the bar a Jonjo Dickman free-kick that had taken a deflection. Nissan’s Tait caused problems for the Consett rearguard and twice forced keeper James Platten into decent saves.

On 36 minutes the home side took the lead when Hodgson broke through the defence and slotted the ball past the stranded Platten. It was the first league goal The Steelmen had conceded for 790 minutes. The last time they had conceded being in the 3-3 home draw with Nissan on the 8th September, having kept eight successive clean sheets since then.

Immediately after the goal Steve Johnson replaced the injured Jonjo Dickman and he should have equalized two minutes later. Moffat went on a great run beating several defenders and drawing out the keeper before putting the ball on a plate to Johnson who blasted over with the goal at his mercy. Four minutes before the interval the ball again fell to Johnson but Newton grabbed the ball at his feet as he attempted to round the keeper.

Half Time: Nissan 1-0 Consett

Consett, however, leveled two minutes after the interval when John Ewart shot into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box after the home defence had opened up in front of him. The Steelmen continued to make chances as they looked for the winner and Moffat went close just after the hour. Robson’s pass put him through but despite his half hit shot beating the keeper it was cleared off the line.

Keeper Newton had to be alert to parry a Brown free-kick around the post and then he saved from Johnson’s header following a cross by Gary Ormston. Robson should have done better with 14 minutes to go when after dispossessing a defender he dragged his effort wide with only Newton to beat.

But the all important winner came with nine minutes left on the clock. Moffat broke away but was fouled just outside the box by Leon Ryan. As the Nissan players waited for the referee to admonish Ryan, the quick thinking Moffat took a quick free-kick. He laid the ball off to Pounder and as the defenders hesitated, the referee waved play on. Pounder then cut inside a defender before shooting past the helpless Newton much to the home side’s consternation.

Consett suffered a nervy finale as they clung onto their lead but the closest Nissan came to equalizing was when Wells’ shot was well saved by Platten with five minutes left.

Full Time: Nissan 1-2 Consett

ANDREW PEARSON