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The Consett juggernaut keeps on rolling with another win and another clean sheet. The Steelmen registered a comfortable 3-0 victory against Washington which makes it eleven unbeaten in the league now, with wins in last four. The eighth consecutive league shut-out extends the period since Gavin Cogden scored his and Nissan's third in the 3-3 draw at Belle Vue in early September to 754 minutes.
Ken Lindoe was forced into making one change to the outfield ten that have played in the last four consecutive games. Skipper David Johnson was ruled out with a trapped nerve which meant that Michael Coulthard, a recent signing from Tow Law Town, came in for his first start. |
Gary Ormston heads on
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Washington set their stall out to try and contain Consett, playing with a lone striker in veteran John Milner, and operating a strict offside trap. The result was a tight and almost action-free first half. It was 21 minutes before an attempt at goal was seen, when Steven Johnson hooked the ball inside to Gary Ormston, who controlled on his chest before volleying over the bar.
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A prostrate Mattie Moffat watches as his header finds the net
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On 27 minutes the Steelmen should have broken the deadlock when Washington keeper Ben Starford came for, but failed to collect, a cross and the ball fell to Moffat whose shot was deflected wide of the unguarded goal.
On a rare Washington attack five minutes later Glen Reay's pull-back from the byline found Stephen Burns, and his shot was stopped by Craig Turns, saving with his feet.
A sterile first half looked like ending goalless until two minutes before the break when Steven Johnson broke down the left and crossed for strike partner Mattie Moffat who launched himself at the ball and converted with some unspecified part of his upper torso to give Consett the lead! |
Half time: Consett 1-0 Washington
The visitors almost caught Consett cold early in the second half, and after Jonjo Dickman had been dispossessed, Burns bore down on goal and Turns had to get down sharply to gather his shot. Burns had a better chance on 55 minutes when Martin Houlahan led a counter-attack, and he fed Milner who crossed to the Washington number 11, but his header was off target.
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Washington's high-energy closing game was inevitably going to run out of steam and as the second half wore on Consett looked increasingly likely to score. A superb cross-field ball from David Pounder put Moffat in the clear but he was denied by Starford, then on the hour mark Jonjo Dickman struck the crossbar with a well-hit free kick.
Consett's pressure eventually told on 74 minutes, when Steven Johnson headed home Gary Ormston's cross from close range, following great work from Moffat to start the move. |
Mark Gaffney plays the ball out of defence
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For the last ten minutes the Steelmen laid siege to the Washington goal creating countless chances. Johnson let fly after being set up by Ormston forcing Starford into a great save. Then a swift break on 83 minutes ended with a fine strike from man-of-the-match Craig Robson which the keeper did well to catch.
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Mid-air control from Moffat
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Both Ormston and Pounder dragged shots wide from inside the area within a matter of seconds of each other, and when a Moffat piledriver five minutes from time whistled inches over the bar it looked like Consett would have to settle for two.
Moffat eventually made it 3-0 in the last minute, however. Another majestic cross-field ball from Pounder picked out Johnson, who had all the time in the world to cross to the unmarked Moffat, and he made no mistake with a powerful header. |
Durham City's goalless draw with Billingham Synthonia means that Consett moved to within just one point of the leaders in second place.
Full time: Consett 3-0 Washington
JPH
