CONSETT went third in the table after this hard-fought win, thanks largely to a striking masterclass by Mattie Moffat.

He scored a hat-trick and could have doubled his tally against a back four which couldn't cope with his tenacity, workrate, and finishing.

But it was the proverbial game of two halves, as the home side set out to rough up the Steelmen from the off, and, for 45 minutes at least, it worked.

Manager Kenny Lindoe made one change from the team which picked up a point at Spennymoor four days earlier, Adam Emson returning against his old club in place of Steven Johnson, still struggling to shake off the knock which kept him out at North Ferriby.

Emson - who scored 24 times for the Railwaymen last season - started up front alongside Moffat, with David Pounder occupying the wide left berth.

In a carbon-copy of the Benfield game, Shildon flew into tackles from the first whistle, and four times in as many minutes there were challenges which might have resulted in yellow cards from a stronger official.

Moffat was twice flattened by centre-half Justin Keegan and Steven Brown was caught by two late lunges from midfielder Dean Arkley, but they received no protection from the referee, who didn't even see them as fouls, let along bookings.

Andrew Cuthbertson had the first chance after six minutes as the game struggled to find any early rhythm, running on to a through ball but shooting over the top. Shildon's reply was a neat move which saw Chris Bell's volley from Wayne Gredziak's chest-down deflected wide for a corner.

Consett were clearly rattled by Shildon's tough tackling, and this gave the home side some impetus going forward, which saw them take the lead after 12 minutes.

The referee provoked howls of protest from the travelling fans by penalising Cuthbertson for an innocuous-looking push, and when the ball was played in Keegan rose highest in the box to plant a firm header low to Consett 'keeper Josh Moody's left. He got a decent hand to the ball, but could not stop it spinning over the line.

Shildon had another chance five minutes later when a mistimed challenge by Carl Piecha let in Lee Chapman, but his weak shot was easily fielded by Moody.

A flashpoint midway through the half saw Shildon's No 4 Daniel Moore react angrily to a fractionally-late challenge by Brown, raising his fist to him right in front of the referee, who again took no action. The same player then went straight through Jonjo Dickman, which yet again went unpunished.

Old boy Emson had a glorious chance to put Consett on level terms when he was put clear by Moffat's pass, but his tame shot was easily saved by home keeper Andrew Spence, to the derision of the home crowd.

Ironically, Cuthbertson became the first player to go into the referee's book on the half-hour for a minor foul, and the fans from DH8 let the man in black know what they thought of his decision.

Things got worse for Consett when Piecha - only recently back from a month-long injury lay-off - limped off. His replacement Karl Baston, making his first appearance for six weeks, went to the right side of the back three, with David Scorer moving into the centre, and looking much more comfortable.

Shildon enjoyed a spell of pressure in the minutes before the break as the referee continued to ignore their often X-rated challenges while penalising minor infringements by Consett, and Keegan put one header straight at Moody before Gredziak sent another wide.

Half time: Shildon 1-0 Consett

Whatever Kenny Lindoe said in the dressing room at half-time obviously had the desired effect, as Consett were level within four minutes of the restart. Mattie Moffat, who was refusing to hide despite taking a physical battering, latched on to Keegan's underhit backpass and rounded the Shildon keeper to make it 1-1.

Five minutes later a home player's name finally found its way into the referee's notebook, when Moore saw yellow for leaving his foot in once too often, this time on the hard-working Moffat. The only surprise was that it had taken so long.

The goal lifted Consett, and Moffat in particular, who seemed intent on covering every blade of grass as he tackled back, chased down defenders, and generally refused to give the Shildon back-four a moment's rest.

Jonjo Dickman, who began to show his class in midfield after the break, had a decent penalty shout turned down when he was blocked by centre-half John Hutton as he latched onto Moffat's delightful reverse pass, but Consett now had the upper hand, and a second goal wasn't long in coming.

Pounder, who had swapped positions with Emson at the restart, was the architect, hooking a lovely ball over his shoulder for Moffat to run onto in the 59th minute. The No 9 drew the keeper and slotted it under him to make it 2-1 to Consett.

Three minutes later Moffat almost completed his hat-trick, but 'keeper Spence did well to drive him wide as he raced on to Gary Ormston's through ball.

With the game delicately balanced, Shildon replaced Gredziak with their 11-goal top scorer Warren Byrne, who had been left on the bench, and Arkley with Stuart Niven.

It was Consett's own hitman Moffat who had the next chance, however, and although he felt impeded by Hutton as he was about to shoot, the referee gave a corner. The same defender denied Moffat again on 70 minutes, and Shildon then played their final hand, bringing on young striker Peter Watling for Bell.

The Steelmen seemed content with what they had, and with 12 minutes left Brown, who'd put in a good shift in a feisty midfield, was replaced by John Clark, who went to left-back as they reverted to a back-four.

There was an immediate scare when dangerman Byrne got in a good header from Niven's cross from the left, but keeper Moody, who hadn't had a lot to do, produced a good reflex save.

Two minutes later Consett got the comfort of a third goal, and it was the best of the game. Emson started the move by making good ground down the left, and played the ball into Moffat. Tightly-marked and with his back to goal he laid it off to Pounder, who took a touch to steady himself before rifling a left-footed shot into the top right corner from 20 yards.

On 83 minutes the outstanding Moffat got the third goal his display deserved. Mark Gaffney's long ball down the left-hand channel saw the centre-forward streak away from the static Shildon defence, and again draw the keeper before rolling it past him and inside his left-hand post.

With the game won, Carl Heiniger came on for Cuthbertson, but there was still time for Shildon get a goal back from Byrne, who headed in from close range after the quietly impressive Scorer had thwarted his first attempt seconds earlier.

Deep into added time Emson came within a whisker of breaking his duck against his old club. Dickman intercepted a pass in midfield and released Emmo on the left. He cut into the box and unleashed a fierce left-footed shot, but it was deflected onto the post by Moore and out for a corner.

When the whistle blew seconds later it signalled the end of what really had been a game of two halves, with Shildon's physical approach winning the first, but Consett's football coming to the fore in the second.

It wasn't the best performance by any means, but a valuable three points given wins for West Allotment Celtic and Billingham Synthonia, and Whitley Bay's 8-0 demolition of Billingham Town the night before.

Full time: Shildon 2-4 Consett

Gary Welford