CONSETT completed a derby double courtesy of Adam Emson's 15th goal of the season, but this should have been a more comfortable win than the scoreline suggests.

Kenny Lindoe named the same starting XI that had beaten Bedlington 1-0 three days earlier, which meant Jonjo Dickman, Carl Piecha and Richard Logan had to be content with places on the bench, along with Paul Curry and new signing Ian Davison, who has previously played for both clubs.

Consett included two more former Tow Law players in their line-up - goalkeeper Jack Norton and defender Michael Coulthard - while the Lawyers had ex-Belle Vue favourite Kraig Wilkinson at centre-forward and midfielder Mark Eccles on the bench.

The Steelmen got off to the best possible start when they went ahead after just five minutes. Chris Scott's ball down the right was held up by Steven Johnson, and when he played the ball back to Scott, Emson was there to finish his dinked pass from point-blank range when the defence failed to clear.

Emson's pace troubled the home defence from the off, and he had another two efforts on goal in the next five minutes as Consett forced the play, barely troubling Tow Law keeper Simon Bishop with the first but then bringing a decent diving save from him.

With the game still just 12 minutes old, Consett had a double let-off. First they survived a penalty shout when the ball appeared to strike centre-half David Scorer on the hand as Andrew Johnson tried to go past him.

Then, when the defence failed to clear the attack, Stephen Tobin tested Norton with a fierce drive which the keeper beat out, and then did enough to stop Wilkinson capitalising on the loose ball.

Three minutes later Wilkinson should have levelled as the Lawyers enjoyed a good spell of pressure. He met Adam Nichols' cut-back from the left six yards out as Norton hesitated, but the keeper advanced quickly enough to make him lift his shot over the top.

Typically for a derby, the game was swinging from end to end at a furious pace, and it was Tow Law's turn to survive a penalty appeal when Ormston's flick-on from Scott's free-kick appeared to be cleared by Chris Renshaw's elbow.

Pounder shot wide and Emson couldn't quite loop a head over the keeper as Consett ended the half looking the more dangerous side, without being able to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances.

Half time: Tow Law 0 Consett 1

Eccles came on as sub for Tow Law a minute before the break, and was involved right from the restart. It was from his cross that the Lawyers came within inches of an equaliser just four minutes into the second half, with their best chance of the game.

He beat Mark Gaffney in the corner, and whipped in a cross which Gavin Mudd met well with his head 10 yards out. It looked to be on the way in, but Norton managed to get a touch on the ball and tip it onto the bar.

Renshaw became the first player to enter the referee's notebook when he brought a promising run by Johnson to an illegal halt 25 yards out, and Pounder curled the left-footed free-kick just over.

The pace of the game had slowed from the fast and furious first half, but Craig Robson, relishing the centre-midfield battle, brought a fine save from Bishop, diving to his right, with a snapshot from outside the box.

Scott, who also had a good game in the middle, then had a glorious chance to give Consett a two-goal cushion, but blazed over the bar after latching on to Robson's pass.

Norton thwarted his old club with a smart save at the near post as Tow Law sought a way back into the game, only to almost gift them an equaliser from the resulting corner. He fumbled the ball in the same way stand-in keeper Paul Curry had against Durham a week earlier, but recovered to claw it off the line.

As the game entered its last 15 minutes Tow Law looked the more likely to score, and Consett made it clear they were happy to take what they had when they brought on Piecha for Johnson and switched from 3-5-2 to 4-5-1.

The ploy worked, as the defence held firm, with Coulthard and Scorer outstanding, and Emson, who ended the game as the lone striker, even squandered a couple of chances to ease the jangling nerves.

When the final whistle sounded it signalled a well-deserved three points for the Steelmen, though Eccles, who was booked for something he said to the referee, obviously felt differently.

Spennymoor's win at Morpeth meant this was a vital victory for Consett, and, with some big games to come, we'd settle for nine more 1-0 wins between now and the end of the season.

Full time: Tow Law 0 Consett 1

Gary Welford