Two wins out of two for The Steelmen as the 2008-09 season gets off to the best possible start. In awful conditions the two local rivals put on a highly entertaining show for a good-sized crowd, with goalmouth action aplenty.

Consett made just one change to the side which had beaten Penrith four days earlier, Adam Emson replacing the injured John Clark on the left side of midfield.

The game got off to a cracking start with Tow Law’s Ben Thomson heading an Andy Johnson’s cross just wide. Within 60 second though Consett took the lead when Gary Ormston broke down the right wing and played the ball infield to Steven Brown who dispatched a superb volley into the net.

Ormston was causing the visitors all sorts of problems and another cross from the right picked out Steven Johnson whose shot from the penalty spot brought a good stop from Lawyers keeper Bishops. Moments later play switched to the other end and Mattie Gowland cut inside from the right to shoot over from just outside the box.

Steven Brown celebrates his goal

Consett made it 2-0 after 19 minutes when Moffat broke clear and after knocking the ball past Bishops he saw his shot blocked on the line by Gavin Mudd. Johnson, however, was on hand to follow-up and score from the rebound.

Mattie Moffat takes the ball past the keeper to create Consett's second

Tow Law were always a threat though and when an attempted clearance ricocheted into the path of substitute Scott Nicholson it looked like they would pull one back. Consett keeper Paul Gilmore came out to save at his feet though.

The Steelmen then embarked on a period of sustained pressure on the Tow Law goal in which they could have scored four times before they actually did. First Emson’s cross picked out Dickman in front of goal, but despite having the luxury of a free header, he steered it well wide. Then after Emson won the ball on the edge of the area, Dickman fed Johnson who curled a shot just over the bar.

With chances coming thick and fast Cuthbertson played and excellent ball to Johnson who cleverly chested the ball past his marker, but then hit a disappointingly tame shot at Bishops. The Tow Law stopper was tested again seconds later as Johnson laid the ball back to Cuthbertson, but Bishops produced a fine save.

Almost immediately though a misplaced clearance to Dickman saw the ex-Darlington man put Moffat clean through and he joyfully slammed the ball past the keeper to make it 3-0.

As half time approached Tow Law’s Johnson sent a fierce shot whistling over the angle of post and bar, then Carl Piecha headed a Coulthard cross just wide as Consett went in search of a fourth. Half time was reached with Consett seemingly in total control.

Half time: Consett 3-0 Tow Law

There was no let up in the action after the break with Emson heading a free kick at the keeper, then Tow Law broke straight up the other end with Consett old boy Mark Eccles seeing a great strike clip the bar and go over.

The busy Bishops was called upon to save shots at the foot of the post twice in the space of a minute, first from Brown and then from Dickman. Then on 55 minutes a swift Consett counter-attack ended with Johnson latching on to Moffat’s pass to send an attempted curler wide of the upright.

Steven Johnson shoots

It looked like Consett were going to run away with the game so it came as a total surprise when the Lawyers pulled one back out of the blue two minutes later. Chris Renshaw hit a speculative effort from all of 35 yards which somehow found its way through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner.

Consett almost restored their three goal lead on the hour mark as neat interplay between Moffat and Johnson led to Ormston’s curling strike going just over the bar.

The home side were never in any real danger of repeating the failings of the second game of last season, where they let a three-goal half time lead slip at Whitley Bay, and finished much the stronger of the two sides. Mark Gaffney saw a header from a John Ewart corner cleared off line, then Brown made a surge to the edge of the area before teeing up Ormston who shot wide from 18 yards.

In the last minute a venomous strike from Patterson was batted away by Bishops, as Consett saw the game out with a degree of comfort.

Full time: Consett 3-1 Tow Law

JPH