CONSETT showed superb character to not only pull off one of their best wins of the season, but also move eight points clear at the top of the table after this hard-fought win.

With Jonjo Dickman, Andrew Cuthbertson and Lewis Teasdale still on the injured list, manager Kenny Lindoe's options were limited. He made just one change to the side which had beaten Darlington RA in the League Cup in midweek, with David Scorer coming in for the unavailable Gavin Barton. The team lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with young Gavin Ross as the lone striker.

Shildon included one ex-Consett player in their starting line-up, David Gordon, who is on his third club of the season after moving from Sunderland RCA. They had two more on the bench, Steven Johnson and Andrew Thompson.

The game kicked off in atrocious conditions, with pouring rain making the already-heavy pitch steadily worse. It took a good 15 minutes for both teams to get used to it, and to start to play any decent football.

When they did, it was Shildon who had their first chance, when Consett right-back Ryan Bell slipped as he went to challenge Sam Garvie, which let the No 11 play in Chris Hughes, who shot against the bar, though the referee had already blown for offisde.

Then Lee Chapman picked up the ball midway inside the home half and drove at the heart of the Consett defence, only to see his left-footed effort fizz wide of Barry Poskett's right-hand post, with the keeper at full stretch.

The visitors' right-back Jamie Harwood was booked for hauling down Mark Eccles right on the edge of the box after he went past him down the left, but Danny Craggs' free kick was deflected and then headed clear.

Consett, who had Ross ploughing a lone furrow up front, were struggling to get support up to the teenage striker, who was contesting every ball, but often found himself isolated when he won possession.

The Steelmen suffered a blow in the 21st minute when skipper Carl Piecha limped off after struggling for 10 minutes with an injury he picked up in an accidental sliding collision with team-mate Jamie Poole. Anthony Lund came on, with Scott Martindale reverting into the middle of the back four from left-back.

Shildon had their best chance so far on 24 minutes when the ball broke kindly for the dangerous Garvie after David Scorer tackled Chapman. The left winger's cross picked out Hughes, who should have done better than shanking his effort wide of the right-hand post.

The visitors were enjoying more of the game, with Consett playing almost like an away team. Eccles tried his luck from 25 yards, but shot well wide, and then defensive midfielder Craig Robson, of all people, almost got on the end of an excellent ball in from Dale Burrell, who did well to beat his marker down the right.

Shildon centre-half Daniel Moore became the second player booked for going in late on Ross as the young striker received and quickly laid off the ball as he changed his boots on the right touchline.

On the half-hour Consett enjoyed a stroke of good fortune when Chapman hit the bar with a superb free-kick from 20 yards. Poskett didn't move, and was relieved to see Garvie's follow-up shot fly wide.

The deadlock was broken on 39 minutes, against the run of play, when Poole broke forward from midfield in pursuit of a through ball, and was hauled down by Danny Richmond as he shaped to shoot.

The sizeable contingent of visiting fans weren't happy when the referee showed the midfielder a straight red card, but he was the last man, and fouled Poole as he was shaping to shoot. Jamie picked himself up to fire home the resulting penalty into the bottom-right corner, for his 15th goal of the season.

The half-time came with Consett perhaps a little lucky to be ahead, but with their fans looking forward to them going on to clinch the game in the second half against 10-man opponents.

Half time: Consett 1-0 Shildon

It didn't quite work that way, however, as despite being a man short, Shildon continued to carry the game to Consett, and Hughes headed an early chance from a right-wing cross over the bar.

A good Consett break down the left on the hour saw Burrell, who was working hard up and down the right, just fail to get on the end of a great left-wing cross from Craggs.

Grafting alone up front in such awful conditions took its toll on Ross, and the young striker was out on his feet when he was replaced by Kieran Megran. Without a recognised striker on the bench, Eccles went up front.

Within a minute Poskett, who has had his critics this season, pulled off a save which was to prove crucial. A good Shildon move saw Sonny Andrews thump an excellent shot which looked like a goal all the way until Baz pushed it up and over the bar.

Just how important the stop was became clear when, 14 minutes from time, Consett scored again. Poole was again involved, breaking down the left, and waiting for Lund's overlap. The substitute's low, hard cross from an acute angle evaded Shildon keeper Keith Finch and his defence, and Craggs applied the finishing touch, sliding the ball home from point-blank range.

A minute later, the visitors' chance of a foothold back into the game was denied by an excellent save from Poskett, who, diving to his left, tipped Garvie's goalbound shot out for a corner.

That was the last chance of the game as the rain which had poured throughout became torrential, making good football almost impossible. Consett suffered a further blow when Bell went off in obvious pain with a shoulder injury, but his team-mates held out for what could be a vital victory.

Unexpected home defeats for Spennymoor Town and Newcastle Benfield meant the Steelmen stole a march on their nearest rivals, even though both they and Shildon have games in hand.

There's a long way to go, but, at the halfway point of our fixtures, is anyone else out there starting to believe this season of rebuilding could turn out to be something much more than that?

Full time: Consett 2-0 Shildon

GARY WELFORD