CONSETT extended their unbeaten run to eight games but looked anything like a top-of-the-table side as they laboured to a fourth successive league draw.

Manager Kenny Lindoe stuck with the same starting XI which had made hard work of the Durham Challenge Cup victory over a depleted West Auckland four days earlier.

David Johnson, Carl Piecha and Adam Emson had recovered from knocks which saw them substituted on Wednesday, and Consett lined up in the same attack-minded formation, with Emson lining up against his old club alongside Mattie Moffat and Steven Johnson in a three-pronged attack.

Shildon arrived at Belle Vue on the back of a 6-2 midweek cup win over Birtley, and their leading scorer Warren Byrne, who got four of those goals, looked in the mood for more. He combined with strike partner Daniel Moore after just two minutes to create the first chance of the game, but Moore's shot was high and wide.

Consett had a let-off in the ninth minute when midfielder Stuart Niven's delicate chipped pass put in Byrne on the edge of the box. Goalkeeper Paul Gilmore saved his first effort, and when the ball broke for the striker to try again, Michael Coulthard managed to get back and clear the follow-up off the line.

Four minutes later there was a controversial incident when Steven Johnson latched on to Chris Scott's ball down the right, only to be brought down by Shildon keeper Andrew Spence. With the home fans waiting to see what colour card the referee would show, he chose to keep them in his pocket, and the resulting free-kick came to nothing.

It was midway through the half before Consett created a decent goalscoring opportunity. Scott played the ball into the feet of Moffat, who had his back to goal on the edge of the box. His first-time lay-off set up Steven Johnson, who couldn't keep his shot down.

Centre-half John Hutton, marshalling the Railwaymen's back line well with defensive partner Justin Keegan, suffered a cut under his eye after catching Johnson's boot in the face as he stooped to head clear, but was able to continue after treatment.

David Pounder, again employed in a more central role, came close to opening the scoring when he shot narrowly wide from just outside the box after Shildon failed to clear their lines on 32 minutes.

Such chances were few and far between against the well-organised and well-disciplined visitors, and the Steelmen's frustration started to show when Gary Ormston was booked for kicking the ball away after his challenge on Lee Chapman was judged unfair.

Three minutes later Coulthard became the second Consett player to be shown the yellow card - rather harshly in the home fans' opinion - for clipping the heels of Byrne, though Moffat was probably lucky not to join him in the book for protesting.

As the game approached half-time, the opposing captains received a stern talking-to from the referee after squaring up when Moore reacted to David Johnson's challenge. When Consett failed to deal with the free-kick, Gilmore had to be alert to react to the threat of Byrne.

The last action of the half saw Emson, breaking from midfield with the ball, force a decent save from Spence after playing a one-two with Jonjo Dickman.

Half time: Consett 0-0 Shildon

Andrew Cuthbertson came on for Scott at the start of the second half, and he soon worked himself a shooting opportunity in the crowded penalty area, but couldn't get his effort on target. He was also involved in a move which ended with Steven Johnson bringing a fairly routine save from Spence, but at least it was a shot on target.

At this point it looked like one goal from either side would be enough to win the game, but it looked unlikely to come from Moffat, whose hat-trick and all-round display virtually won the game at Shildon single-handed back in October.

He was having a quiet afternoon, but did manage to put in Ormston, who squared when he perhaps should have gone for goal himself, and the chance was gone.

His opposite number Byrne, meanwhile, was proving a handful, and he looked certain to score when he was put in by Chapman, but Coulthard - again the Steelmen's outstanding man at the back - got in a vital block.

From the resulting corner, Hutton's flick from six yards out was kept out by a smart reaction save from Gilmore as the Steelmen began to look a little vulnerable.

However, when the deadlock was finally broken with 12 minutes remaining, it was Consett who scored, in a most unexpected fashion. Spence, whose handling had been impeccable, came out to collect Moffat's hopeful high ball into the box, but spilled it, and it broke free to Dickman, who slotted home into the empty net from 10 yards.

Given what had gone before, it looked like that might be the goal to settle the game, but Consett's lead lasted just two minutes.

Chris Bell - one of three substitutes introduced by Shildon in a six-minute spell in which they also had two men booked - crossed from the right, and Moore finished into the corner from a dozen yards out.

Gilmore then had to be on his toes to clear from Byrne after Steven Johnson lost possession in his own half, and the Shildon striker was left yelling with frustration when he was outmuscled by David Johnson as they contested a through ball.

Gilmore did well to hold a 25-yard drive from ex-Hartlepool pro Mark Tinkler, who had joined the fray, and then produced an even better save in the 89th minute, rushing out to thwart Byrne.

Moffat had his best effort of the game with a snapshot from the edge of the box in injury time, but it wasn't his day or Byrne's, and a draw was probably a fair result.

It left Consett five points clear at the top of the table, but after scoring five on four occasions and four an incredible nine times earlier in the season, the goals appear to have dried up for now. Let's hope it's only temporary.

Full time: Consett 1-1 Shildon

Gary Welford