A SLOPPY 20-minute spell either side of half-time in which they conceded three goals and had a man sent off saw Consett lose valuable ground in the title race. They were made to pay for missed chances, and some highly questionable refereeing didn’t help, as the game became increasingly bad-tempered as it went on. But in the end they only had themselves to blame for a reverse which cost them the chance to go level on points with leaders Spennymoor.

Caretaker manager David Hagan made five changes to the side which brushed Ryton aside on Saturday, with Barry Poskett, Anthony Lund, Jonjo Dickman, Gavin Barton and Jamie Poole returning to the starting line-up. Former Consett striker Mattie Moffat captained the visitors, with another ex-Steelman, Steven Brown, on the bench.

West started the brighter, and Moffat had two chances in the first 10 minutes. First he got the better of Lund to beat him to an Adam Nicholls through ball, only to hit his shot wide of Barry Poskett’s far post, then he failed to get enough on a header from Andrew Green’s free-kick into the box. Nicholls also had a chance, but scuffed his shot wide when well-placed.

Consett gradually came into the game, and should have gone ahead on 10 minutes when Craig Robson’s pass found Marc Walton, and he outpaced his marker, only to fire his shot wide of the near post.

Two minutes later Walton missed an even better chance. He burst into the box onto the end of a through ball, with Dickman stepping aside for him, but snatched at his shot and fired yards wide.

On the half-hour Consett went ahead with a well-worked goal. They swept upfield with a good passing move, and the ball arrived with Mark Eccles on the right-hand angle of the box. He slipped it inside to Dale Burrell, who thumped it into the top corner from 20 yards.

Six minutes before half-time West defender John Parker became the first player booked, for almost cutting Consett captain Robson in two with a high, late tackle. The incident seemed to knock the home side out of their stride a little, and two minutes before the break the visitors were level. Consett failed to deal with Martin Young’s free-kick into the box, and Moffat was on hand to finish from close range.

Half time: Consett 1-1 West

Five minutes into the second half, West were ahead, and again Consett were the architects of their own downfall. They failed to deal with a left-wing cross into the box, and Nicholls was allowed two efforts at goal, making no mistake with the second after the first was blocked on the line.

On 55 minutes Lund was booked for bringing down Nicholls in the corner, and it was to prove a costly challenge. From Young’s resulting free-kick Chris Renshaw was allowed a free header, which he planted into the corner past the flat-footed Poskett.

Barton had a header from Dickman’s cross cleared off the line as Consett sought an immediate reply, but on the hour there was an incident which effectively sealed the outcome of the game.

Lund lost possession to Moffat by the same corner flag where he had given away the free-kick which led to the third goal, and tripped the No 9 as he moved away from him. The referee had no option but to show Lund a second yellow card, and then a red, as it was his second bookable offence in five minutes.

The game became increasingly bad-tempered from this point, and the only surprise was that more players didn’t join Lund for an early bath.

Referee Scott Taylor, who had a poor game, missed a Renshaw headbutt on Dickman, and both players ended up in the book, and Poole was yellow-carded for a foul on Moffat, which led to him needing extensive treatment, and having to leave the field, reducing West to 10 men, as they had used all their subs.

The sides being levelled up gave Consett some hope, and they reduced the arrears from an Eccles free-kick on 88 minutes. Walton helped the ball on, and Poole came in at the back to finish from point-blank range for his 23rd goal of the season.

In the five minutes of added time West’s feisty midfielder Tom Berj at last had his name taken after his umpteenth foul of the game, and Nicholls was booked for a two-footed off-the-ground lunge which could easily have been a red card.

In the final seconds, some desperate defending saw two Consett shots blocked and Poole’s 20-yarder deflected over for a corner, but the visitors held on to take home all three points for the second season in a row.

This result, and Shildon’s surprise defeat at home to Billingham Synthonia, left Spennymoor very much in pole position, and gave hope of a top-three finish to the chasing pack of Whitley Bay, Benfield and West Auckland.

Full time: Consett 2-3 West

GARY WELFORD