AFTER two defeats in a week, Consett bounced back to winning ways and stayed top of the league with this fully-deserved victory over one of the Northern League's big guns. There were three changes to the team which started the Durham Challenge Cup tie at Newton Aycliffe, with injury ruling out Jonjo Dickman, Ryan Bell not risked and Gavin Barton rested. Into their places came Mark Eccles, for his first start since August, fit-again Scott Martindale and the recalled Gavin Ross.

Manager Kenny Lindoe reckoned Ross's pace might cause problems for the Bay defence, and that's exactly what happened after just five minutes when Consett took the lead. The teenage striker latched onto an excellent Craig Robson ball down the left, surged into the box, beating his man, and pulled the ball for Lewis Teasdale, who had time and space to pick his spot and make it 1-0.

Gavin Ross heads over

Ten minutes later Ross was unlucky not to double the Steelmen's lead. He met a Danny Craggs cross from the left with his head, and, with the keeper beaten, could only watch as his effort came back off the angle of post and crossbar.

Lweis Teasdale opens the scoring

Two minutes later he involved again, stealing the ball off visiting defender Gareth Williams, who was booked for bringing him down as he went past him. From the resulting free-kick Craggs found Teasdale, but the ball was slightly behind him, and he couldn't steer his header on target.

On 20 minutes Eccles brought a good save out of Kyle Hayes after good work by Teasdale down the left. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, he twisted and turned and put in a rare right-footed effort. Consett were well on top at this point, so it was a surprise when, on 22 minutes, the visitors equalised.

Their skipper Damon Robson crossed from the right, and lanky forward Glenn Taylor rose above David Scorer at the back post to send a looping header over Barry Poskett, who got a decent hand to the ball, but could not keep it out.

The goal, coming after so much Consett pressure, signalled the start of the Seasiders' best spell of the match. Two minutes later the same two players combined again, but this time Taylor's header was off target. Poskett had an anxious moment when he failed to gather Williams' free-kick from near the halfway line under pressure from Taylor, and the ball was fumbled out for a corner.

Lee Kerr, who'd been kept quiet by Carl Piecha, had his first sight of goal on 37 minutes, but shot wide after working some space for himself on the edge of the box. Then Paul Robinson won the ball in midfield and set up Damon Robson, who couldn't keep his shot down, and Kerr blazed over from Taylor's chest-down.

Half time: Consett 1-1 Whitley

After dominating the early exchanges, the Steelmen were glad to get into the dressing room on level terms, and made a change for the second half, with Dale Burrell coming on for Kieran Megran. He was immediately involved, twice making good ground down the right. but unable to find anyone with his crosses, then setting up Eccles for a 20-yarder which the midfielder thumped into the goalkeeper's midriff.

Mark Eccles rides a tackle

Ten minutes into the half Taylor played in Robinson at the other end, but Poskett was out smartly to save at his feet, and that was just about Whitley Bay's last offering as an attacking force as Consett took control. A long kick by Poskett almost got Ross in as Consett went 'route one' for a change, and then his pace and Eccles' vision created a good chance for Jamie Poole, whose shot was blocked.

Jamie Poole plays a through ball

Twenty minutes into the half, Poskett palmed a shot round the post from Taylor which looked to be heading wide anyway, and that was the big forward's last action, as Bay threw on two fresh strikers in a double change in a bid to break the deadlock. At the same time, Consett brought on Andrew Cuthbertson for the struggling Piecha, and it was the home side whose substitution paid dividends.

Cuthbertson had a shot from the edge of the box which came back off the bar, and Ross reacted fastest to give Consett a deserved 2-1 lead on 66 minutes.

Three minutes later it was 3-1 as the red machine killed off the visitors with the best goal of the game. Eccles received the ball on the left and played a wonderful crossfield ball to Craggs, who played a reverse pass to Teasdale. Lewey displayed his growing confidence by turning past a defender and firing home inside the near post.

Consett saw out the last 20 minutes without being seriously threatened or creating much else themselves, but were full value for the three points which kept them top.

Full time: Consett 3-1 Whitley

GARY WELFORD