Consett picked up three more valuable points to move four points clear at the top of the table. But they would have to consider themselves somewhat fortunate to claim all the points against a lively home side who caused the visitors problems right from the start.

Kenny Lindoe made only one change to the side that had beaten Whitley Bay in the previous game, James Platten returning in goal to replace Paul Gilmore.

Town started well and could easily have been three up inside ten minutes. They took the lead after only four minutes when Alexander turned in front of goal and his shot was deflected past the helpless Platten.

Steven Johnson puts Consett 2-1 ahead from the spot (pic Denise Haworth)

Michael Couthard equalises (pic Denise Haworth)

The Steelmen equalised after 20 minutes when Michael Coulthard volleyed in after David Pounder’s corner had been headed down by Emson.

Three minutes later Platten made a tremendous diving save to deny Alexander when the ball dropped kindly following Burton’s free-kick.

On the half hour Johnson curled a shot against the bar. As Dickman went to latch onto the rebound he was chopped down by Carling and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty, which Johnson duly despatched.

Emson set up Pounder who dragged his shot across the face of goal ten minutes before the break. But just as it seemed Consett might reach the interval in the ascendency Billingham struck right on half time. An attack developed down the Billingham right and when the ball was played into the middle, Burton was on hand to slot the ball home.

Three minutes after the restart Platten had to be alert to claw away Moore’s well taken corner. Six minutes later Dickman played the ball through to Emson but he shot wide when in on the keeper.

After 65 minutes Johnson cut in from the right but his shot was blocked by a defender when a pass to a colleague was possibly a better option.

With 20 minutes to go the moment Consett fans had been waiting for arrived when star striker Mattie Moffat entered the fray in place of Chris Scott.

But Moffat did make his presence felt with 12 minutes left on the clock and it led to Consett’s third goal. His jinking run took him past two defenders and when he drove the ball across the face of goal Carling could only deflect the ball past his own keeper as he tried to clear the danger.

Emson could have made the game safe with three minutes to go, but he shot over from Johnson’s pass. Then Consett’s hearts were in their mouths in the second minute of stoppage time when, from Turner’s corner, Boynton was allowed a free header, but the ball went across the face of goal.

Consett did finally wrap up the points in the third minute of added time when Johnson ran onto Coulthard’s long ball forward and shot past the advancing keeper to signal a huge sigh of relief from the Consett contingent.

Full time: Billingham Town 2-4 Consett