Report

Consett picked up their first away points of the season with a gutsy 2-1 win at Grimsby Borough, despite being without seven members of their first-team squad.

Injuries, illness and unavailability meant manager Jason Miller had only 12 players to choose from for the trip to the Bradley Football Development Centre.

But a controlled performance and never-say-die attitude saw the Steelmen prove their mettle by coming from behind to head home with all three points.

Calvin Smith came in at right-back for his first start of the season, and Brendon Daniels made only his second, with David Allasan, who’s just returning from injury, the only substitute.

The hosts were desperate for points to pull away from the bottom end of the table, and had the game’s first goal attempt on eight minutes, but Charlie Clements’ 25-yarder was well over the bar.

Four minutes later Consett were awarded a free-kick 22 yards out and Lucas Lowery’s effort was tipped over the bar by keeper Heath Richardson.

On 29 minutes Doony Holdsworth latches onto a through ball and held it up well before feeding Lowery, who shot just wide from 20 yards.

On 38 minutes a superb through ball by Oli Thomspon sent Holdsworth away again, but just as he wa shaping to shoot a defender got back to block. The ball was recycled to Lewis Leech, who had a go from outside the box, but shot straight at the keeper.

Just when Consett looked to be getting on top, they fell behind, Josh Clarke’s ball into the box was deflected to Charlie Clements, and the home No 9 fired across keeper Harry Moss and into the far corner to make it 1-0.

Half-time: Grimsby Borough 1 Consett 0

Consett came out with more urgency in the second half, and had a chance two minutes in, when Daniels’ free-kick from the left was met by Michael Ledger, whose header cleared the bar.

But they were not to be denied, and levelled on 49 minutes when Holdsworth headed Calvin Smith’s deep corner back into the danger zone. Charlie Exley’s shot was cleared off the line, but Michael Ledger drilled the loose ball in from seven yards for his first goal from the club.

Eight minutes later Consett thought they had turned the game around when Holdsworth beat his man, reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Thompson, but his shot went in off Lowery, who had strayed into an offside position.

Two minutes later the visitors enjoyed a stroke of luck when Luke Ayris’s header came back off the bar, but it was Consett who looked more likely to get the next goal.

On 76 minutes a shot from Marc Costello deflected into the path of Thompson, whose effort was inches wide. Then Holdsworth sent sub David Allasan clear, but he could only shoot straight at the keeper from a tight angle.

Grimsby made a triple change in the 85th minute, bringing on fresh legs in a bid to tip the balance against tiring opponents, but it was Consett who had a great chance to win it a minute later when Thompson’s shot was saved by Richardson and Holdsworth’s follow-up had the sting take out of it by a defender.

But Consett got the winner their second-half display deserved in the 87th minute when a stray pass by a defender let in Thompson, who drove into the box and unselfishly pulled the ball back for Donny Holdsworth to finish past the exposed keeper.

It was the No 9’s fifth goal of the season, and his third in three visits to Grimsby Borough, after his winner in 2024-25 and neat lob in our 2-1 defeat last season.

For Grimsby it was a third successive defeat, which left them second-bottom of the table, and manager Tom Claisse paid the price for the poor run, mutually departing the club the following day. Bizarrely, his predecessor Dan Barrett left after more than 500 games in charge following a 3-0 defeat at Consett in February.
MATCH REPORT & PICTURES: GARY WELFORD