Report

Consett were far from their best at a windy Energy Check Stadium, but brought home a well-deserved point from a 0-0 draw with league leaders Hebburn Town.

Manager Terry Mitchell made one change to the side which had beaten Whickham so comprehensively in midweek, with Nick Allen coming in at centre-back for the unavailable Arjun Purewal.

Consett’s best chance came in the first 30 seconds, when Jermaine Metz’s pass saw Andrei-Vasile Ardelean running through, but his lob past the advancing keeper had too much on it.

Recent signing Dale Pearson had another chance on six minutes, but scuffed his effort wide of the far post.

With a strong wind at their back, the home side took control after that, and Michael Richardson went close in the 11^th minute with a 25-yard free-kick which had Consett keeper Kyle Hayes scrambling across his goal, but went inches wide.

Five minutes later the visiting No. 1 made a fine save from Oliver Martin after a ball in from the right, and Hebburn then squandered a great chance, when the unchallenged Jack Donaghy headed well wide from a corner.

There was a let-off for Consett on the half hour when they gave the ball away in their own half and Richardson’s pass put Graeme Armstrong through, but the former Gateshead striker dragged his shot wide.

On 36 minutes Consett had a strong appeal for a penalty when Luke Carr, who was captain in the absence of Purewal, was fouled by Dan Groves as he surged into the box. Instead of pointing to the spot the referee decided he had been impeded inches outside the box, and gave only a free-kick, which Jake Stafford drove into the wall.

Four minutes before the break Ardelean made a chance out of nothing when he beat the keeper to a ball played down the channel, and chipped him from an acute angle, only to see the ball rebound off the crossbar and be scrambled away.

Hebburn’s best chance came on 57 minutes when Ben Dibb-Fuller burst through after playing a one-two with Richardson, but Hayes bravely saved his shot, and then needed lengthy treatment after the forward followed through on him.

A corner on 67 minutes saw Hebburn defender Donaghy create a chance out of nothing, flicking the ball over his head and volleying it goalwards, but his shot was too high.

Both managers attempted to spark some life into the game by introducing fresh legs in the last 20 minutes, but very few clear-cut chances were created as the gusty wind picked up and ruined the game as a spectacle.

Although they rarely threatened the home goal, a good rearguard action saw Consett pick up a deserved point.

MATCH REPORT & PICTURES: GARY WELFORD

 HEBBURN TOWN: 1 Andrew Jennison, 2 Dan Groves, 3 Ewan Simpson, 4 Robbie Spence, 5 Louis Storey (captain), 6 Jack Donaghy, 7 Oliver Martin, 8 Carl Taylor, 9 Graeme Armstrong, 10 Michael Richardson, 11 Ben Dibb-Fuller (sub Lewis Suddick 83). Subs not used: Luke Sullivan, Luke Gilhespy, Jack Robson, Conor Grant (GK).

CONSETT: 1 Kyle Hayes, 2 Jermaine Metz, 3 Darren Holden, 4 Matty Slocombe, 5 Nick Allen, 6 Ross Wilkinson, 7 Calvin Smith (sub Dan Hawkins 86), 8 Jake Stafford, 9 Andrei-Vasile Ardelean (sub Ali Alshabeeb 83), 10 Luke Carr (captain), 11 Dale Pearson. Subs not used:  David Brown, Max Russell, Joe Sloan.

ATTENDANCE: 263