CONSETT advanced into the last eight of the competition they won in 2007 after coming from behind to claim their second win in five days at Norton. Unsurprisingly after the 2-0 success the previous Saturday, Kenny Lindoe kept the same starting XI, though there were two changes on the bench, Paul Curry and Shaun Sager coming in for the cup-tied Gavin Parkin and Tow Law-bound Scott Martindale.

Norton started quicker, and had already fired a warning shot through the nippy David Wells, whose 20-yarder flew just over, when they went ahead after just five minutes. Wells again shot from outside the box, this time on target, and although Danny Staples saved his effort, Marcus Laing reacted quickest to turn the loose ball home.

Consett almost levelled immediately when Steven Johnson intercepted a backpass and fed strike partner Mattie Moffat, who pulled the ball back from David Pounder, whose effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Andrew Cuthbertson fires in a shot

Gary Ormston had an effort deflected for another flag kick and Johnson forced Norton keeper James Briggs into a comfortable-enough diving save as the visitors continued to press, but an equaliser wasn't long in coming.

Norton keeper Briggs clears a Consett corner

In the 20th minute Moffat got the ball on the right and cut inside before pulling it back for Andrew Cuthbertson, whose firm shot ended up in the net, despite Briggs getting a decent hand to it.

Moffat screwed a shot wide and Johnson had a low shot fingertipped round the post for a corner as Consett continued to dominate, and David Pounder was unlucky to see a dipping effort just clear the bar at the end of one flowing move containing something like a dozen passes.

Wells was Norton's main threat, and Staples made a good save from him when they were left one-on-one after a rare foray into the Consett half.

Cuthbertson almost put the Steelmen ahead a couple of minutes before the break after weaving his way through the packed home penalty area, but Briggs was equal to his shot, clawing it away from the top corner.

On the stroke of half-time there was a scare for Consett when Staples rushed out of his goal to clear and only succeeded in giving the ball to Sonny Andrews, but his speculative attempt from all of 35 yards drifted well wide.

Half-time: Norton 1 Consett 1

The second half saw Consett again assume control, and they went in front on 55 minutes, after Moffat and Johnson combined well to put in Ormston, whose shot was blocked for a corner. Steven Huggins' kick from the right was flicked on by Ormston at the front of the six-yard box, and Michael Coulthard arrived right on cue at the back post to head powerfully home for his first goal of the season.

Little happened for the next 25 minutes, and Ormston almost made it three when he latched onto a delightful diagonal ball from Huggins and lobbed the onrushing Briggs, only for the grateful keeper to see the ball drop just wide of his unguarded goal

Steve Huggins takes evasive action

Scott came on for Johnson with eight minutes left, and he immediately played a vital part in the third goal, which sealed Consett's win. Briggs came out to catch Ormston's ball in from the left, Scott kept it alive, and played it to Pounder on the edge of the box, who scored with a delicate chip for the goal of the game.

Steven Johnson hurdles a challenge

Consett was now in complete control, and could easily have won by a bigger margin. Briggs touched a Moffat volley onto the post, and then made an even better save from a more venomous effort, which he clutched at the second attempt.

Pounder went close with another dinked effort, Moffat turned his defender inside out before trying a chip which produced a good save from the goalkeeper, and Ormston just failed to get on the end of a raking Scott cross from the right.

Wells, dangerous to the last, shot over in injury time for Norton, but no one could argue that Consett deserved their place in the next round after a thoroughly convincing win.

Full-time: Norton 1 Consett 3

GARY WELFORD