CONSETT came from two goals down to complete a late comeback and claim three points which took them back to the top of the table. They even overcame the setback of playing the last 35 minutes without a recognised goalkeeper. Kenny Lindoe made three changes to the side which had beaten Ryton the previous weekend. Carl Piecha returned to the defence, Danny Craggs to the midfield and Gavin Barton to the forward line in place of Michael Coulthard, Anthony Lund and the injured Andrew Cuthbertson. With Jonjo Dickman and Lewis Teasdale also injured, and Jonny Hewitson’s loan move to Tow Law made permanent the previous day, the Steelmen were only able to name four subs. Roofing included Kevin Davison, who had a short spell at Belle Vue last season.

Consett showed first, and Craggs hit a 25-yarder which was comfortable enough for keeper Andy Hunter, before Dale Burrell had another effort from virtually the same spot tipped over. Roofing were without a win in six games, but took a surprise lead after just eight minutes when centre-half Daniel Kirkup’s towering header from a Kris Hughes corner looped over Barry Poskett in the home goal.

Gavin Ross heads inches wide

Consett responded well, and should have equalised when Mark Eccles' corner from the right found Gavin Ross at the back post, but he put his header the wrong side of the post. Hunter then saved well from Craggs, Eccles fired over from Burrell's cross, and Megran blazed high and wide when a half-clearance fell to him on the edge of the box. Despite not being at their best, Consett were still creating chances, but were made to rue missing them when the visitors had their best spell of the game in the 10 minutes before half-time.

Daniel Kirkup's header puts Roofing ahead

Hughes seized on a loose header from Piecha to set up Craig Nelson, and after creating space for a shot, the striker's rising effort just cleared the crossbar. A minute later it was 2-0, and this time Nelson turned provider, latching on to a ball down the right, and setting up strike partner Peter Watling for a tap-in.

It could have been three five minutes before the break when the same pair combined to create another chance for the lively Watling, whose show flew just wide, with the keeper beaten.

Half time: Consett 0-2 Roofing

Kirkup had been a rock at the back for Roofing, and Ian Dixon, their new signing from Bedlington, influential in midfield. But they knew they were going to face a Consett onslaught in the second half. It began just a minute after the restart, when Piecha had a diving header scrambled off the line.

Ten minutes into the second half the game seemed to swing even further in the visitors' favour when Poskett, injured in a challenge with Watling, limped off. With no spare keeper on the bench, former Roofers winger Anthony Lund went in goal, but the setback seemed to galvanise Consett.

Kirkup had to block a goalbound Gavin Barton effort, Hunter tipped a Craggs header over, and Piecha had another header scrambled away. There was a big shout for a penalty when Craggs was brought down by Martin Nugent, but the referee decided the offence was outside the box, and the resulting free-kick was wasted, hit over the bar by Craig Robson.

Midway through the half Consett got the goal their efforts deserved, when Craggs took a short pass from Robson and unleashed a powerful strike from 20 yards which bounced in off the underside of the bar. Roofing, who had been defending their lead well, lost their shape and discipline at this point. Mark Elliott was booked for taking the legs from under Craggs, and Dixon followed him for leading with his arm on Eccles - an offence the home crowd thought should have seen red rather than yellow.

The last 20 minutes was nearly all Consett as they tried to preserve their unbeaten home record, and they protected their stand-in keeper well, simply by not letting Roofing anywhere near their goal. The one lapse with 12 minutes left should have quelled the Consett comeback.

Craig Robson wins a tackle

Sub Michael Armstrong took advantage of a Piecha mistake on halfway, drove forward and played in Watling. But the striker’s shot failed to test Lund.

David Scorer heads clear

That was the Roofers’ last chance, as the rest of the game belonged to Consett. Robson had the ball in the net on 76 minutes, only to find the linesman's flag already up for offside. But Consett were not to be denied for long. They levelled on 83 minutes when Craggs' free-kick from the left picked out Barton for the striker to head his 11th goal of the season. Three minutes later Eccles repeated the trick from the right, and Barton took his tally for the season to 12 in 16 games.

There was still time for Robson and Kirkup to be booked for squaring up, and for Carson to see yellow for gesturing with his head towards Craggs as the visitors' frustration at throwing away a two-goal lead boiled over. Consett were back on top, even if, at times, they had made hard work of it.

Full time: Consett 3-2 Roofing

GARY WELFORD