Report

Consett brought home a decent point from North Ferriby – but ended up with 10 men for the fifth time in as many games.

Manager Jason Miller made two changes to the starting XI which had beaten Lincoln United a week earlier, with Liam Colledge coming in for skipper Charlie Exley, who was carrying a knock, and David Allasan in for Lewis Leech. Michael Ledger donned the captain’s armband in the absence of Exley, who was on the bench.

Leech was one of three players unavailable due to suspension following recent red cards, the others being Marc Costello and Eddie Thomas. With Isaac Walker, Ewan McGowan and Jake Dobinson injured, the bench again contained three young Reserves, with Harvey Hall involved for the first time along with Harry Clark and Alfie Doran.

Consett fell behind in the ninth minute at the Versa Sportswear Stadium when Harry Moss dwelled on a back pass for too long and his clearance was charged down by Josh Thacker and bounced into the empty net.

Two minutes later they threatened again when Rio Molyneux’s cross from the left picked out Lewis Dennison, but his header didn’t unduly trouble Moss. Consett’s first attempt on goal came in the 13th minute, when Will Constantin tried his luck from 20 yards, but it was an easy take for home keeper Ben Bottomley.

Consett almost suffered another defensive calamity when a back pass rolled past Moss, but the danger was cleared at the expense of a corner, which was dealt with.

Moss had made a shaky start, but made a good save in the 19th minute, standing up well to save from Charlie Dunkerley, who was clean through in a one-on-one.

Dunkerley went close again on 20 minutes when his 20-yarder flashed just wide of the post, but Consett slowly grew into the game and started to enjoy some possession.

Ben Ramsey beat his man on the left and found Donny Holdsworth in the box, but the No 9 was off balance and sliced his shot wide. Then Ramsey burst through on the opposite flank, and went for goal rather than crossing, but fired weakly into the keeper’s hands.

Switching back to the opposite flank Ramsey then brought a decent save from Bottomley with Consett’s best chance of the half.

Half-time: North Ferriby 1 Consett 0

Consett started the second half with renewed purpose, and deservedly levelled on 54 minutes when Jordan Patterson was allowed to advance from midfield and fired into the bottom corner from 25 yards, pictured top, for his first goal in 81 games for the club.

The Steelmen’s tails were up now, and they had a decent penalty shout three minutes later when David Allasan seemed to be brought down, but the referee waved play on.

But they weren’t to be denied, and in the 68th minute Donny Holdsworth conjured up a fine solo effort, cutting in from the left and firing across the keeper into the far corner to make it 2-1 with his 12th goal of the season.

Consett looked to be in control, but North Ferriby have drawn more games than anyone else in Division One East for good reason, and came back to grab an equaliser in the 83rd minute.

A free-kick from inside North Ferriby’s own half was played deep into the Consett box and Lewis Dennison reacted quickest in the resulting goalmouth scramble to make it 2-2.

Disaster then struck for Consett as Holdsworth received two yellow cards in the space of three minutes, first for a foul and then dissent, which left them to see out another game with a man less than their opponents.

They did so quite comfortably, but were left kicking themselves for only taking one point from a fixture they feel they could have won against hosts who have now drawn 17 times this season. Consett remain 9th in the table, with North Ferriby 10th, but five points adrift.
MATCH REPORT & PICTURES: GARY WELFORD