CONSETT took their goal tally against lowly Esh Winning to nine in four days, but again tarnished a fine attacking performance by conceding two sloppy goals.
Kenny Lindoe made two changes to the side which had beaten the Waterhouses side on Saturday, with Lewis Teasdale returning for two-goal Andrew Snaith, who was at work, and Andrew Cuthbertson coming in for Anthony Lund.

Again the Steelmen took an early lead, with Lewis Teasdale putting them ahead after just six minutes. When the ball was only half-cleared from a corner, Jonny Hewitson thumped a shot goalwards from 25 yards, and it struck a suspiciously offside-looking Carl Piecha as the Esh defence poured out. The ball fell kindly for Teasdale, who lashed it home, and, despite home protests, the goal was allowed to stand.

Gavin Ross hurdles a challenge

Six minutes later Teasdale should have made it two when a forward pass deflected off a defender to drop nicely for him, but his rising shot from the edge of the box cleared the crossbar.

Teasdale then had the ball whipped off his toe by keeper Richard Oliver after he exchanged passes with Piecha to make his way through the crowded penalty area, and Cuthbertson hit a Gavin Ross lay-off over the top as Consett comntinued to make all the play.

Lewis Teasdale opens the scoring

Hewitson had a shot deflected wide, with Teasdale screaming for a pass, as Consett poured forward again, but Esh's best move of the game on 24 minutes gave notice that their attacking threat shouldn't be ignored.

Marc Nixon and ex-Consett player Liam Bramley combined well to set up right-back Kieran Megran, and it took the outstretched foot of keeper Barry Poskett to deny him an equaliser.

Then Scott Martindale cleared off the line as Nixon set up Stuart Thompson for a back-post tap-in as Esh enjoyed their best spell.

Consett finished the first half strongly, however, and Piecha was inches wide with an effort from the edge of the box as Esh failed to clear a free-kick.

They got their second goal their dominance deserved two minutes before the break. A good move down the right saw Hewitson play the ball inside to Ross, on the edge of the box with his back to goal. He turned, and, instead of shooting, unselfishly laid the ball off for Jamie Poole, who finished from eight yards out.

Half time: Esh 0-2 Consett

Within two minutes of the restart it was 3-0, and the goal was all down to chasing of seemingly lost causes by teenage striker Ross. He pressured Esh keeper Oliver into upending him as he beat him to a loose ball, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Poole made no mistake from 12 yards, smashing the ball home.

Seven minutes later Consett should have had another penalty when Jonjo Dickman sent Piecha clear with a glorious through ball. The skipper took it round Oliver, who appeared to clip him, and although he tried to keep his feet, he tumbled over. To Consett's astonishment the referee waved play on, and ended up booking Piecha for remonstrating a little too vociferously about the decision.

But the visitors' tails were up now, and Teasdale and Piecha both had chances before Ross made it 4-0 in the 61st minute, again through sheer persistence. This time he put the Esh keeper under pressure after he miskicked a backpass, and charged down his attempted clearance, slotting home, despite the attentions of a defender.

Jamie Poole fires in the second

A minute later it was 5-0, as Poole completed his hat-trick with arguably the best goal of the game. Ross again did the legwork down the right, and his cross to Teasdale was laid back for Dickman. His shot took a looping deflection off a defender, and Poole was on hand to smack a powerful left-footed volley into the top right-hand corner.

But the lack of concentration which appears to be becoming Consett's Achilles heel this season again presented itself on 71 minutes when some slack defending allowed Marc Nixon, who got both Esh's goals on Saturday, to snatch another one, beating Poskett to sub Steven Fothergill's pass.

Poole makes it three from the penalty spot

Four minutes later a simple long ball caught the defence napping, and Mark Tinkler took advantage by nipping in to lob Poskett and set Consett nerves jangling, and the players arguing among themselves.

Happily, they quickly returned to the task in hand, and Dickman forced Oliver to save at his feet and then sub Ben Johnson made sure the young keeper was on his toes by cutting in and trying a shot from the right.

When Ross went off to warm applause from the away fans with 12 minutes left, Martindale got to reprise his old centre-forward role, and came close to making it six, thumping a shot against the foot of the post.

When the whistle went there was no doubt the Steelmen fully deserved the three points, but their casual concession of preventable goals must be sorted out as they prepare to face better sides.

Full time: Esh 2-5 Consett

GARY WELFORD