Report

Consett passed the 50-point mark for the first time in the Northern Premier League, despite finishing a game with 10 men for the second weekend in a row.

They beat Lincoln United at a sunny but chilly Belle View Stadium, after playing most of the second half a man down after receiving their fourth red card in as many games.

Manager Jason Miller welcomed back Ben Ramsey, Calvin Smith and Donny Holdsworth to the side which lost at Garforth, but Eddie Thomas joined the suspended Marc Costello on the sidelines after his sending off at Bridlingto.

Isaac Walker, Ewan McGowan and Jake Dobinson were missing through injury, while Jack Ledger had departed for Newcastle Blue Star after making his first start in midweek.

Consett started brightly, and created their first chance after five minutes. Brendon Daniels put a great cross in from the left which was just too high for Donny Holdsworth, but fell nicely for Will Constantin, whose shot was blocked by a defender

They took the lead in the 12th minute when Daniels played a delightful one-two with Ramsey and laid the ball back into the path of Matty Todd, who fired in a first-time shot for his 11th goal of the season.

Their advantage was doubled 10 minutes later when Daniels turned provider again, floating in a great free-kick for Ben Ramsey to finish with a first-time volley from eight yards out to take his seasonal goal tally into double figures.

Lincoln reduced the arrears within two minutes when recent signing Haydn Havard turned and fired home from the edge of the box for this first goal for the club.

Left-back Max Baker tested Harry Moss with a free-kick as Lincoln sought parity, then Havard beat the keeper to a through ball, but Daniels got back to clear off the line as the ball rolled goalwards.

Donny Holdsworth thought he had restored Consett’s two-goal lead on the stroke of half-time, getting in front of his marker to sweep home Constantin’s low cross, only to be ruled offside.

Half-time: Consett 2 Lincoln United 1

Consett suffered a blow at half-time, when skipper Charlie Exley had to come off, and was replaced by Liam Colledge, with Michael Ledger taking the captain’s armband. Lincoln also made a change, with Lewis Smalley replacing left-back Max Baker.

The home side again started the second half brightly, and good play by Constantin set up Daniels, whose well-struck shot almost squirmed through the grasp of Lincoln keeper Heath Richardson.

But the momentum of the game swung the visitors’ way 11 minutes into the second half when Lewis Leech was sent off for a tackle which saw Lincoln skipper Elliot Dye stretchered off.

Havard headed wide and Kane Hutchinson-Wilkes hit the post as Lincoln pushed hard for an equaliser, then Owen Vincent was denied by Moss, and Billy Bradley fired the follow-up wide with the goal at his mercy.

Consett were playing mostly on the break now, and Holdsworth and Ramsey both squandered chances to put the game to bed, while Vincent almost grabbed an equaliser for Lincoln deep into added time after a surging solo run, but fired wide.

However, the last word went to Consett in the last of eight added minutes when new dad Donny Holdsworth won possession in the visitors’ half and ran through to score his 11th goal of the season, pictured top. He received a yellow card for his top-off celebration, but didn’t care after securing the win which kept Consett 9th.