CONSETT returned to the top of the table after coming from behind to win their first-ever visit to Stokesley.

Manager Ken Lindoe was forced to make one change to the side which drew 2-2 at Bedlington four days earlier, with defender Scott Martindale used as a makeshift striker in place of unavailable top scorer Gavin Barton, who scored a hat-trick when the sides met at Belle Vue in September.

Stokesley included one familiar face, Consett old boy Adam Emson, signed from Bishop Auckland the previous week. They suffered a blow when their captain Paul Crager fell ill in the warm-up, and had to be replaced in the starting line-up by David Turner, who was to play a significant part in the match.

Stokesley, buoyed by recent wins over Spennymoor and Penrith, were obviously determined there would be no repeat of their 6-1 defeat in the sides' first-ever meeting.

Their approach to the game was physical to say the least, and they seemed to find an ally in the referee, who let a lot of late and dubious challenges go.

Leeon Poole could have found himself in trouble as early as the fourth minute when he hauled back Danny Craggs, but the referee chose only to have a word when a red card might have been appropriate, and Craggs was then felled by Lev Yalcin.

The lack of protection angered the Consett players, and skipper Carl Piecha was perhaps lucky not to be booked after remonstrating furiously after one particularly bad foul on Craig Robson.

There were penalty shouts at either end when Emson went down under a challenge and a Craggs cross seemed to strike a defender on the arm, but the referee waved both away.

Consett had dominated possession without creating much, and when the first real chance came on 32 minutes it was the home side who created it, and took it.

A half-hearted tackle on the edge of the box allowed Yalcin to set up the unmarked Emson, and the lanky No 10 made no mistake, slotting his shot under the advancing Barry Poskett.

The goal seemed to galvanise Consett, and it took some good defending to deny Robson as he tried to pick his spot after good work down the right by Dale Burrell.

Then an excellent run into the box by Jonjo Dickman ended with him picking out Craggs, but the ball was slightly behind him, and he couldn't direct his header on target.

Jamie Poole, cutting in from the left, lashed wide with better-placed team-mates waiting for a pass, and Craggs hit a rising effort just over after wriggling his way into the box, but the interval arrived with the Steelmen trailing 1-0.

Half Time: Stokesley 1-0 Consett

The second half saw them step up a gear, and Stokesley keeper Robert Dean was forced into his first save within a minute of the re-start. Martindale controlled Dickman's cross from the right and took a touch to compose himself before smacking a shot which looked a goal all the way until the keeper got down well to turn it round his front post.

Jamie Poole forced another good save from Dean with a header, but was not to be denied for long, and levelled with another headed effort from Dickman's cross, which looped over the keeper on 53 minutes.

The goal was Poole's 17th of the season, making him joint-top scorer with Barton, and he wasn't happy when he was replaced by Mark Eccles as the half neared its halfway point.

Eccles was immediately involved, however, and it was from his deep cross from the left that Burrell's goalbound header was kicked off the line by a defender.
Emson had the ball in the net on 73 minutes after racing onto a through ball and rounding Poskett, only to find the linesman had flagged him offside.

Six minutes later came the incident which was to seal the outcome of the game. Man-of-the match Dickman burst forward from midfield to link up with Martindale, only to be hauled down by last man Turner. The referee had no hesitation in showing him a red card and awarding a penalty, which Eccles coolly slotted away, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

The remainder of the game was seen out quite comfortably, and Consett could have added to their score with a couple of Robson efforts which were fired wide.
When the final whistle went it was a hard-earned three points which, with rivals Spennymoor on cup duty, took Consett back to the top of the table.

Full Time: Stokesley 1-2 Consett

GARY WELFORD