CONSETT picked up their second away win in four days with two goals from Gary Ormston, which made the midfielder top scorer this season, with seven in all competitions. Kenny Lindoe made just one change to the side which won by the same scoreline at Billingham Synthonia on Wednesday, Scott Martindale returning in place of Gavin Parkin, who had to be content with a place on the bench. Mattie Moffat was ruled out with a bug, but his old strike partner Steven Johnson was fit enough to be named among the substitutes. Celtic included recent signing Colin McKenzie, who captained Consett to the 2nd Division title in 2005-06.

The visitors almost gifted the home side a chance straight from the kick-off, but the first real sight of goal came on five minutes, when Ormston worked a shooting opportunity down the left for David Pounder, who screwed his shot wide.

A couple of minutes later there was a scare when David Scorer gave away possession to Dan Hindmarsh midway in his own half, and he played David Thompson in. His pull-back from the byline evaded Hindmarsh and Ian Dunn in the middle, but it was a warning for Consett.

Gary Ormston scores Consett's opener

Then Andrew Burton cut in from the right and fed Andrew Cuthbertson, whose measured pass was helped into Ormston's path by a defender, but his powerful near-post drive was well-saved by Chris Bannon. Steven Huggins found Carl Piecha at the back post with the resulting corner, but he headed over.

Then Piecha, relishing being released from his usual defensive duties, hit a low shot from outside the box, which the keeper held onto, and then drove forward to set up Ormston, who scuffed his shot. It was a good spell for Consett, and Bannon had to save again from a Burton snapshot.

The Steelmen weren't having it all their own way, however, and Paul Collins just did enough to deny Thompson after another good ball in from the right by Hindmarsh.

Dan Staples punches clear

Ormston hit a rising effort from 25 yards which just flew over and Campbell thumped a shot at Staples which the young keeper did well to beat out as the action flowed from end to end.

Burton was getting forward much more than he had in midweek, and his cross was headed down by Piecha for Cuthbertson, whose first-time effort flew wide. Consett didn't have to wait long for another chance, however, and Ormston atoned for his earlier misses by volleying Huggins' cross home to make it 1-0 on 24 minutes.

Five minutes later Consett thought they had doubled their lead when Martindale applied the finishing touch to Piecha's shot, but the linesman denied the teenage striker his first goal for the club with an offside flag.

Staples then had to be alert to punch clear from Thompson after another dangerous cross from Hindmarsh, and the young goalkeeper then saved with his feet from John Campbell, who wriggled away from Coulthard, as the home side enjoyed their best spell so far.

Consett responded by almost scoring a second, when another fine dead-ball delivery by Huggins saw Scorer's header cleared off the line, and Celtic replied with an effort from Hindmarsh which cannoned back off the bar with Staples beaten.

Martindale had two efforts on goal, one blazed high and wide and the other, a shot on the turn, going much closer, as Consett ended the half in the ascendancy.

Half time: West Allotment 0-1 Consett

West came all out fired up for the second half, and Staples produced an excellent save from Campbell when the striker's effort looked like it was heading for his top-left-hand corner. Then Campbell couldn't steer his header on target from Thompson's cross.

Consett rode the early storm, and on the hour they produced one of their best bits of football of the game with a move involving Pounder and Ormston that swept from left to right, and Collins' pinpoint cross found Martindale, who couldn't guide his header on target.

But two minutes later it was 2-0, and again it was Ormston who finished a crisp passing move, firing into the corner from outside the box after good work by Pounder and Martindale.

David Scorer heads for goal

A flurry of substitutions saw Chris Scott enter the fray for the tiring Burton and Parkin replace Martindale up front, and West made a double substitution, bringing on Paul Gardiner for David Henderson and Lee McAndrew for Thompson.

Scott Martindale shoots

Another flowing Consett move saw Parkin play in Huggins, whose cross was met by Scott, but he couldn't quite get a clean connection under challenge six yards out, and the goalkeeper was relieved to make the save. Then centre-half Chris Jewels almost put Parkin's cross into his own net, the ball bobbling just wide of the post.

There was a scare for Consett, who had brought David Duke on for Coulthard and moved Piecha back into defence, when Scorer gave away possession and Campbell shot into the side netting. And on 87 minutes some more sloppy defending gave sub Gardiner the chance to reduce the arrears from a few yards out.

The home side did get the ball in the net again, but the referee had already whistled for a foul on Staples, but it was Consett who ended the game stronger, squandering two more chances to put the game out of reach. First Scott drove wide after a glorious Ormston pass found him in space on the right, then Parkin delayed his shot just long enough for a defender to get in a saving tackle. It mattered not, for that was the last action of the game, and the referee's final whistle marked three good points for the team in blue.

Full time: West Allotment 1-2 Consett

GARY WELFORD