CONSETT advanced to the semi-final of the Durham Challenge Cup, but made hard work of a game they should have won at a canter. They dominated opponents who are struggling at the wrong end of the table and on their third manager of the season, but failed to kill them off, despite creating a multitude of chances.

Manager Kenny Lindoe made one change to the starting XI which drew against Bishop Auckland four days earlier, Adam Emson coming in for Craig Robson, who reverted to the bench. Emson played wide on the left, with David Pounder tucking inside in an attacking 3-4-3 formation.

West, for their part, were so short of men they could only name one substitute, as several of the players brought in by new manager Ray Gowan – who missed the game because he was on holiday in South Africa – were ineligible.

The visitors, who included former Steelman Neil Lowden in their midfield, had already been well-beaten at Belle Vue this season, 4-0 in the league back in September, and that result seemed to be lodged in the minds of some of the Consett players, who, to put it kindly, didn't seem to be on top of their game.

In a game played in near-gale force conditions punctuated by intermittent snow showers, Consett, kicking into the wind, dominated from the start. They came close to scoring after just three minutes when Steven Johnson made good ground down the right, and 'keeper Wittleston fumbled his cross at the near post, just managing to gather at the second attempt before Emson could poke it home.

Consett didn't have to wait too long for a goal, however, and it came courtesy of Steven Johnson in the 10th minute. West failed to clear their lines properly, and Jonjo Dickman played the ball in to Johnson, who took a touch and swivelled before firing his shot into the bottom corner for his 19th goal of the season.

It should have been two after 20 minutes when a sweeping Consett move saw Pounder advance with the ball and feed Steven Johnson on the right. He made it to the byline and cut the ball back for Pounder, arriving on the edge of the box. But instead of shooting Pounder passed to Mattie Moffat, who gave him it back when he looked to have a clear sight of goal, and Pounder's eventual shot was blocked.

Emson's pace down the left was causing problems as the one-way traffic continued, and at times it resembled a practice match, but Consett failed to trouble the West Auckland 'keeper. Their only problems at the back were self-inflicted, needlessly giving away possession on a couple of occasions, and a Michael Coulthard backpass almost caught out Paul Gilmore, who slipped, but managed to regain his footing before calamity struck.

A second goal was long overdue, and it came on the stroke of half-time. The overlapping Coulthard knocked the ball inside to Pounder, who kept it moving into the path of Emson, who finished adroitly into the corner.

Half time: Consett 2-0 West

Pounder came close to making it three within six minutes of the restart, sending a dipping volley inches wide when a clearance by West Auckland right-back Neil Pattison dropped invitingly for him 25 yards out.

Emson needed treatment after a heavy challenge, but when Consett made a change it was to bring on centre-half David Scorer in a straight switch for Carl Piecha, who looked to be struggling.

Midway through the half West Auckland finally had their first attempt on goal, and incredibly it resulted in a goal. Teenage winger Jack Outhwaite met a left-wing cross with a falling volley from the edge of the box, and it flew beyond the right hand of the diving Gilmore to make it 2-1.

It gave the visitors hope they deserved for not folding under almost constant Consett pressure, and Kenny Lindoe responded by bringing on Andrew Cuthbertson for Emson and Paul Curry for David Johnson, who had also picked up a knock. Cuthbertson went into central midfield, and Pounder moved out left.

As the game entered its closing stages, the strangely-out-of-sorts Moffat had the ball in the net after Pounder and Dickman combined to put him clear, but the flag had already been raised for offside. And the usually-prolific striker missed a golden opportunity to put the game to bed with just six minutes remaining.

Coulthard again made his way to the byline and cut the ball back for Dickman, who skipped through one challenge before being felled by a second. The referee pointed to the spot, and as 22-goal Moffat stepped up to take the penalty most of the sparse crowd expected the net to ripple. But his weakly-struck kick was too close to the keeper, and even though he spilled it, no one bothered to follow in.

Consett had one last chance to give the scoreline a more realistic look in injury time, when Moffat and Pounder combined to set up Dickman, but his firmly-struck shot flashed inches wide of the left-hand post, and it ended 2-1.

Full time: Consett 2-1 West

Gary Welford