More dropped points for Consett on the face of it as they came away from Bishop Auckland's temporary home of Darlington Road, West Auckland with a 1-1 draw. However the conditions were very much a leveller as an extremely heavy pitch and an increasingly strong wind made any decent standard of football almost impossible.

The bottom club certainly have no fears of the Steelmen – unchanged from their previous outing at Ashington two weeks earlier – having won one and now drawn two of the four meetings between the clubs this season, and they adapted better to the conditions. The early stages saw Bishop create the better chances with Joe Fairish stretching to volley wide in the eighth minute and Stephen Salvin sending a 30 yard drive well over soon after.

Consett just couldn’t get a foothold in the game and it was 27 minutes before they threatened the Bishops’ goal. Steven Johnson went on a great solo run to the edge of box before cutting back onto his left foot and sending a curler just over.

Mattie Moffat pursued by Bishop's Purewal

Steven Johnson fails to connect with a corner

Moments later though Bishop were back on the attack and a stray defensive pass was intercepted by Gavin Barton who shot straight at Gilmore when he might have done better. Barton went closer five minutes before the break when he controlled a deep cross from Gus Di Lella very well allowing him to get a good shot away which hit the side netting.

Consett came closest to scoring on the stroke of half time when Michael Coulthard, still forward from an earlier corner, let fly with a left foot shot from the corner of the penalty area that went inches wide of the upright.

Half time: Bishop 0-0 Consett

Four minutes after the restart Moffat played in Dickman but his tame shot went straight at Bishop keeper Porter. The Two Blues were always a threat and when Craig Robson was dispossessed on the edge of the area Fairish was denied by Gilmore, blocking his firm drive and and grabbing the rebound.

Inevitably with the conditions leading to mistimed tackles and a generally attritional air, the game became more bad tempered with David Johnson and Bishop’s Kevin Dixon booked for squaring up to each other.

On the hour mark, Consett had a let off when Barton outpaced the defence, and although Gilmore pulled off a great save the Bishop striker was first to the rebound. With the goal gaping he shot tamely through Piecha’s legs but the Consett defender got back to clear off the line.

David Johnson fends off an attack

Johnson on the receiving end of a Gus Di Lella tackle

With 15 minutes to go Scott’s 25 yard drive went straight down the keeper’s throat, and then a minute later Gilmore pulled off a good save from Purewal.

Just as the game appeared to be drifting towards a goalless draw Bishop took the lead in the 77th minute. A right wing corner was cleared only as far Barton whose speculative swing from 25 yards looped over everyone and in off the post.

The goal spurred Consett into action and on 82 minutes Moffat slid the ball precisely through to Steven Johnson whose shot was saved by Porter at full stretch.

It was a huge relief to all concerned with Consett when equaliser came six minutes from time and it was a suitably unsubtle one in keeping with the conditions. A long ball played forward picked out Moffat whose excellent chest control allowed him to go round the keeper and level the scores from a tight angle.