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Another dismal result for Consett, who suffered their third defeat in seven days as their season continues to unravel at an alarming rate. This time it was second-bottom Northallerton who left Belle Vue with three points, inflicting a 1-2 defeat on their hosts.
For the second game running the Steelmen were unable to field a regular goalkeeper, with midfielder Steven Brown pressed into service between the posts. In the only change to the eleven that were beaten by struggling Bedlington Terriers three days earlier Craig Robson returned to the midfield. With Andrew Thompson pushed up front to accommodate him, Steven Johnson was dropped to the bench.
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Andrew Thompson heads widet
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Once again conditions were blustery, but Northallerton made light of the first half wind disadvantage to threaten the Consett goal twice in the opening exchanges. On five minutes the lively Darren Earl cut in from the right to fire in a shot that Brown managed to push round the post, then from the resulting corner Earl saw a headed effort cleared off the line by Rob Story.
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David Pounder takes to the air
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It was 24 minutes before Consett managed a strike at goal and even then David Pounder’s effort from distance was way off target. They went closer 9 minutes later when Pounder’s right wing corner picked out Thompson, but his instinctive stab at goal was easily saved.
Thompson was denied again on 39 minutes when he raced on to a through ball, but Northallerton keeper Kevin Wolfe came out to make a good save.
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On the stroke of half time the Steelmen had two chances to take what have been a scarcely deserved half time lead. Jonjo Dickman had a shot from a narrow angle parried by Wolfe, then in the third minute of added time Moffat saw a shot blocked by the keeper and Thompson was unable to head the rebound home as it bounced up invitingly in front of goal.
Half time: Consett 0-0 Northallerton
Consett’s makeshift keeper Brown produced a fine save ten minutes into the second half as he came out to smother an attempt from Andrew Allen after the Town midfielder had beaten Consett’s offside trap. Moments later at the other end Gary Ormston’s followed up a blocked effort from Moffat with a low skidding strike and Wolfe was forced to make a good one-handed stop at full stretch.
The Steelmen must have suspected it wasn’t to be their afternoon when Thompson produced a perfectly timed run on the hour mark to meet Pounder’s excellent through ball, before sliding the ball past Wolfe. However the ball cannoned back off the post and rebounded straight back into the arms of the grateful keeper.
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Jonjo Dickman fires in a shot
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With the game seemingly drifting towards a goalless draw, two near identical goals from Daniel Earl in the space of three minutes proved to be Consett’s undoing. Godwin Douglas won a tackle in midfield and the ball broke into the space behind the Consett rearguard. Earl was first to react and he unleashed an unstoppable drive into the corner of the net.
Thompson under pressure
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Then on 72 minutes a long ball was hoisted forward by the visitors which wasn’t dealt with by the home defence and as it dropped behind them, Earl again raced on to the loose ball and drilled it home from almost exactly the same spot.
Nine minutes from time Mark Patterson produced a sublime chip into the area to pick out Moffat who controlled the ball before lashing it home from close range. However any hope of a fightback was short-lived and the Yorkshiremen held on comfortably for the win against a Consett side who seem intent on disproving the widely held belief that you can't become a bad side overnight
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Full time: Consett 1-2 Northallerton
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