CONSETT recorded their fourth successive victory to lift themselves to sixth in the table, but were made to work hard for the three points by a West Allotment side whose manager had walked out 48 hours before the game. Kenny Lindoe made one change to the side which had beaten Bedlington four days earlier, with Richard Forster returning to the backline, and skipper Carl Piecha pushing into midfield in place of Jamie Poole, who had a trial at League Two side Gillingham. The Steelmen also included a new signing, Kieran Megran from Esh Winning, on the bench.

The men in red basically picked up where they had left off against Bedlington on Saturday, creating chances almost at will in a one-sided first half. Piecha had the first shot on goal just three minutes in, but his firm drive after exchanging passes with Gavin Barton was straight at Celtic's teenage goalkeeper Danny Staples, who left Belle Vue last month after a well-publicised falling out with the manager.

On six minutes Staples made a good diving save from an Anthony Lund effort from outside the box, and the keeper again came to his side's rescue with another smart stop from Lund after Jonjo Dickman played him in.

Staples then saved at Gavin Ross's feet as the young striker chased a loose ball, but couldn't do much about Consett's opener on 13 minutes. Graham Irving lofted an excellent ball forward from the back, and when Barton beat the keeper in the air, Ross was on hand to slot the ball home from the edge of the box. The visitors claimed a foul on the keeper, but there looked little wrong with Barton's challenge.

Staples then saved at Barton's feet as he was released by Dickman's slide-rule pass, Dickman shot over when a corner was only half-cleared, and then barton beat the goalkeeper to a long ball from Richard Forster, only to watch his stabbed effort drop just the wrong side of the post as Consett continued to dominate.

It took West Allotment half an hour to register their first shot on target, and Dean Nicholson's free-kick from 20 yards was a comfortable enough take for Barry Poskett in the Consett goal.

The closest either side came to another goal before half-time was when Piecha took the ball around Staples, but the goalkeeper recovered just sufficiently to put him off his shot, and his defenders completed a frantic clearance.

Half time: Consett 1-0 West Allotment

There had only been one team in it in the first half, but after the break was a different matter, and Poskett had to be at his best seven minutes in when he produced an excellent save from Marc Walton's turn and shot. Five minutes later the visitors were level, as Walton was given too much time and space, swivelled and slammed the ball into the top corner.

Stung into action, Consett attacked again, and Ross rose between two defenders to head Hewitson's cross over, before Staples saved at full stretch from Piecha's volley after he had been teed up by Barton. From the resulting corner Consett got their noses back in front on 75 minutes. Dickman's corner from the left hit Ross on the knee, and rebounded for Barton, who smashed the ball home from inside the six-yard box for his first Consett goal.

Celtic almost got a second equaliser when Forster gave the ball away outside his own penalty area, and Mark Waite's ball dropped over the head of Irving, but Walton lifted his shot over the bar.

After a flurry of substitutions Barton came close to sealing the win, but saw Staples pull off another excellent diving save, while Poskett did the same at the other end, fingertipping a shot from the ever-dangerous Walton around the post just when it looked like creeping in.

When the referee signalled three minutes of stoppage time, Consett showed they had what it takes to see out a game without any further mishaps, and when the final whistle went it was a deserved three points for Consett, but they had been made to fight all the way by the visiting side.

Full time: Consett 2-1 West Allotment

GARY WELFORD