CONSETT'S season ended in disappointing fashion as Benfield became the fourth side to do a league double over them - joining top-six sides West Auckland, Whitley Bay and Ashington. Kenny Lindoe made three changes to the side which won at Stokesley in midweek, with Peter Jameson replacing Barry Poskett in goal, and Ryan Bell and Lewis Teasdale returning in place of Richie Slaughter and Matty Slocombe.

The home side started brightly, and forged their first chance in the opening minute. Dale Burrell was played into the left-hand channel, but visiting keeper Andrew Grainger made a good save at his near post. A couple of minutes later, the keeper was pleased to see Michael Mackay's 25-yarder bounce just wide of his left-hand post.

Benfield responded with a header from a corner which skipper Kevin Leighton powered just over, and on 11 minutes they missed a gilt-edged change to go ahead. Paul Antony's quick free-kick sent Shaun McAvoy clear down the right, and he pulled the ball back from the byline to ex-Steelman Brian Dodsworth, who lashed it wildly over the bar from inside the six-yard box. It was a horrible miss, but Dodsworth was closer 10 minutes later with a first-time lob from the edge of the box.

On 35 minutes the visitors took the lead when Anthony Lund gave the ball away midway in the Benfield half, and they broke quickly down their right. The ball ended up with centre-forward John Alexander, who beat Carl Piecha and fired home across Jameson - who perhaps should have done better - from a tight angle.

A minute later Mackay had a good chance when he latched onto a ball down the right, cut inside and forced a decent save from Grainger. The build-up to the move had seen Burrell left in a heap by a late challenge, and Consett's remonstrations with the referee, who failed to even speak to the culprit, saw Craig Robson and Piecha booked for dissent. Burrell had to be helped off the pitch, to be replaced by Jack Stanger.

Two minutes before the break, Consett fans' hearts were in their mouths after the far-side linesman flagged after Dodsworth went down in the box after tangling with full-back Michael Pearson. They could rest easy when the assistant told the referee the Benfield player had pushed the No2 before being bundled over.

Half time: Consett 0-1 Benfield

It remained 1-0 at half-time, and Consett suffered a further blow at the start of the second half, when Piecha failed to emerge, with Scott Martindale on as a sub. The first action of the half saw Teasdale appeal for a penalty against Grainger, when he was knocked down by the keeper's dive to reach a loose ball, but the man in black decided - probably correctly - that there was no foul.

Benfield midfielder Philip Gray was just wide with a snapshot from the edge of the box, and Stanger's well-struck 20-yarder beat Grainger but clipped the top of the bar at the other end. Seven minutes into the half, Mackay made the most of a rare mistake by the excellent Kenny Boyle, robbing him of possession on the left angle of the box and trying a curler towards the top-right corner. But Grainger justified his reputation as possibly the best keeper in the league by getting a hand to it.

With the next goal crucial, the game continued to go from end to end. Lund shot wide after being set up by Teasdale, and Jameson pulled off a good save from Alexander, then got up to beat him to the rebound. Ryan King's lay-off then set up a chance for Teasdale as Consett sought an equaliser, but again Grainger was equal to his effort.

When 45-goal Mackay spurned the sort of chance he's been snapping up all season on 64 minutes, you began to think it might not be Consett's afternoon. Teasdale's pass from midfield sent Lund away down the left, and his pullback from the byline just needed a cool finish, but Mackay snatched at the chance and blazed it well over the bar.

The miss proved costly, for the next action of any note saw Benfield awarded a penalty in the 79th minute when Alexander went to ground after trying to squeeze between Robson and David Scorer. There were few protests from the Consett players, least of all Scorer, which suggested the decision was right. The No9 picked himself up to sent Jameson the wrong way and clinch the win for the visitors.

It could have been worse, as Consett almost conceded a bizarre own goal two minutes later. Jameson's clearance cannoned back off Martindale and looped towards the empty goal, but Pearson got back to clear off the line. The Steelmen were a spent force, and Benfield held on comfortably for the win which meant they finished 12th. This result, and a win for South Shields, meant Consett finished a disappointing 14th - a far cry from 12 months ago, when the final day saw them clinch the runners-up spot.

Full time: Consett 0-2 Benfield

GARY WELFORD