Report

Consett picked up their first win of the season, beating Bridlington Town for the first time in seven meetings, to lift themselves out of the NPL’s bottom four.

It was the club’s first-ever win at Bridlington in four attempts, and new manager Jason Miller’s first three-point haul in just his second game in charge.

He gave debuts to two new signings, Brandon ‘Donny’ Holdsworth, who arrived during the week from Bishop Auckland, and Will Constantin, a dual registration signing from Gateshead, as he began to reshape the squad, and both had fine games.

Bridlington began the game in 19th place, two above their visitors, and they had the first chance of the game on six minutes when Nathan Dyer was left with a one-on-one, but Harry Moss saved, and then tipped the resulting corner over the bar. The Consett keeper was called into action again on 13 minutes, getting down well to save from Sam Kay.

After riding the hosts’ early pressure, the Steelmen took the lead on 16 minutes through Liam Colledge‘s thumping header from Calvin Smith’s corner. It went in off the bar, despite a defender’s attempt to stop it crossing the line. It was the young centre-back’s third goal of the season, level with leading scorer Isaac Walker.

On 25 minutes Walker went close from 25 yards, firing just wide, but a minute later Consett were grateful to a superb last-ditch intervention by Constantin, whose superbly-times tackle stopped Michael Coulson when he looked a certain scorer.

Consett doubled their lead on 37 minutes when the lively Donny Holdsworth beat Brid keeper Ben Voase to Harry Moss’s long ball forward, touched it around him and shepherded it into the empty net.

Holdsworth almost made it three on the stroke of half-time, but his curling effort came back off the crossbar, with the keeper beaten.

Half-time: Bridlington Town 0 Consett 2

Bridlington threatened straight from the restart, and almost reduced the arrears within a minute when Nathan Dyer’s effort came back off the post, but nobody was following it in for the rebound.

Consett still looked a threat on the break, and on 51 minutes a slick move ended with a lovely turn and shot by Walker, whose effort flew inches wide of the post.

Bridlington were throwing men forward in a bid to get back into the game, and on the hour Dominic Curl denied Dyer with a great block. Ten minutes later Ben Ramsey had a chance to seal the win after cutting in from the flank, but Voase made a good save. Then Curl wasn’t far away after Consett created another chance with a well-worked short corner.

Jake Jensen came closer still in the 84th minute when he set himself up with some great control, only to see his curling shot come back off the post with the keeper beaten all ends up.

Bridlington, who’d come from 3-0 down at half-time to win 4-3 at Bishop Auckland the previous week, did pull one back with a 90th-minute Sam Leverett penalty after a Jake Jensen foul while trying to hook the ball clear, but Consett held on comfortably to claim their first three points since March.

It was their first win in 17 games, and their first away from home since they beat Cleethorpes Town 3-1 on 27 January.
MATCH REPORT: GARY WELFORD
PICTURES: KENNY TAYLOR & GARY WELFORD