IT took a controversial extra-time Jonjo Dickman goal for Consett to beat West Allotment Celtic in a League Cup tie which they led twice and had enough chances to win several times over.

Manager Kenny Lindoe kept the same starting XI which won 3-1 at Jarrow Roofing 11 days earlier, though Anthony Lund and Jamie Poole swapped positions, playing left midfield and left-back respectively.

Playing into the teeth of a strong wind, the Steelmen went at their opponents from the off, and the first chance fell to Danny Craggs, who was again playing up front, alongside Gavin Barton, after just four minutes.

Lund worried a West defender into a mistake, and his clearance fell to Craggs, who tried to lob keeper Chris Bannon, who was well off his line. But the effort lacked height, and was the first of the No 1's many saves of the night.

Five minutes later Dale Burrell made good ground down the right, and his cross was helped on by Craggs into the path of Barton, but Bannon was out quickly to save at his feet.

The keeper pulled off an even better stop on 11 minutes, when he made a fine double save. He dived low to his left to keep out Craggs' 25-yard free-kick, and recovered in time to thwart Barton's follow-up.

The No 9 was not to be denied for long, however, and from the resulting corner he gave Consett a deserved lead. He met Craggs' left-wing flag-kick with his head from six yards, giving the keeper no chance.

Five minutes later Bannon prevented Barton making it two, saving again at his feet after Burrell played him in, and the keeper denied the striker once more midway through the half, saving with his feet as he shot first time from Craggs' pass.

It was beginning to look like the Barton v Bannon show, and the keeper's heroics paid off on 25 minutes when West equalised with their first attempt on goal.

It was that man Marc Walton, who scored at Belle Vue in the league back in September, and then twice at Whitley Park in January, who brought them level.

There seemed little danger when he picked up possession 25 yards out, but he unleashed a ferocious shot which flew into the net, possibly with the help of a deflection.

Consett were straight back on the attack, and Barton's next effort, under pressure from two defenders, beat the keeper but went well wide, while a Craig Robson shot from 25 yards was always rising and cleared the bar.

The final chance of the half fell to the visitors, who had shown little as an attacking force. Walton, who had no support, tried his luck from fully 30 yards, and home keeper Barry Poskett was relieved to see it dip over his bar.

Half time: Consett 1-1 Celtic

Within 30 seconds of the restart Consett had regained the lead, and this time Barton was the winner in his contest v Bannon. Lund advanced down the left and crossed for the striker, who sidefooted home from eight yards.

Craggs went close with a 25-yard free-kick and Lund wasted a glorious one-on-one after the referee ignored a linesman's flag, and Consett were made to pay for their profligacy when West levelled again on 56 minutes.

Paul Gordon's through ball caught the home defence napping, and although Poskett saved well from Lee Hamilton's initial shot, and a follow-up was blocked, Consett's failure to clear their lines allowed the No 10 to slam the loose ball home.

Barton was denied again by Bannon as Consett picked up the initiative, and Megran saw his shot pawed over by the keeper after a slick move down the right involving Burrell and Craggs.

Barton then missed a good chance when he scooped over from Piecha's knock-down from a corner, though to be fair the opportunity presented itself very quickly.

With seven minutes remaining West almost snatched an undeserved win when substitute Stewart Morris found Gordon, who forced a good save from Poskett. The ball broke to Walton, who somehow fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

Bannon then produced the save of the night from Barton, showing superb agility to get down to his header from sub Mark Eccles' cross.

Consett thought they had won it in injury time when the ball was bundled into the net from a corner, but the 'goal' was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

Full time: Consett 2-2 Celtic

Extra time it was then, and home fans could have been forgiven for feeling they might be made to pay for missed chances.

The first period saw Celtic enjoy their best spell of the match. Hamilton lobbed just over, sub David Scorer put in a vital challenge after a slip by Lund let in Gordon, Paul Gardiner headed a good chance over the top, and Walton shot inches wide after a turn and shot from 20 yards.

The last 15 minutes was all Consett again, and, with the wind at their back, they almost scored within a minute of the re-start as Lund's cross almost beat Bannon.

The keeper then saved a Scorer header from Dickman's free-kick and was off his line quickly again to win the latest leg in his one-man mission to foil Barton.

Just when penalties looked inevitable, the decisive goal came in the 109th minute, and it was a controversial one.

Ryan Bell surged at the heart of the visitors' defence, and was tripped right on the edge of the area. He appeared to handle the ball as he fell, but the referee waved play on, and Dickman slotted home the loose ball to make it 3-2.

West's frustration got the better of them a couple of minutes later when Morris felled Bell with a wild challenge from behind which could have seriously injured the defender. The referee produced a straight red card, and with the No 14 went West's hopes of levelling for a third time.

Barton missed yet another chance to grab his second hat-trick of the season, Bannon saved from Dickman and Megran tried to set up Ross when he could have gone for goal himself, but when the final whistle went it was the team in red who progressed to a 4th Round home tie with Newcastle Benfield, who beat Northallerton Town 3-1.

Extra time: Consett 3-2 Celtic

GARY WELFORD