Report

Consett made it two wins from their opening two games with a 3-2 success at Sam Smith’s Park over Newcastle Benfield.

Manager Terry Mitchell brought new signing Simon Jakab in at centre-back in the only change from the team which beat Northallerton at the weekend, with David Brown dropping to the bench and Nick Allen moving across to left-back.

The home side had a chance within the first minute, but visiting keeper Kyle Hayes showed his alertness to save well at the feet of Peter Glen-Ravenhill. Luke Carr and Nick Allen both dragged shots wide as Consett responded, while Dennis Knight fired over for the home team as the sides traded early blows.

The breakthrough came in the 18^th minute, when the lively Carr, playing against one of his old clubs, won a left-wing corner for the Steelmen. Calvin Smith sent over a perfect delivery for skipper Arjun Purewal to score with a bullet header from five yards.

Benfield turned up the pressure around the half-hour mark, and Hayes saved well from Knight and then Glen-Ravenhill as the hosts began to create chances. The Steelmen had a huge let-off in the 39^th minute as the pair combined well, only for the latter to blaze over from close range.

Hayes saved well again from Knight, tipping his well-struck effort over, and then he made the save of the game from Mechak kanda’s header, instinctively sticking out a leg to keep the ball out.

But a goal was coming, and there was nothing Hayes could do about Benfield’s equaliser a minute before half-time, when Knight finished from close range after the defence failed to deal with a right-wing cross.

Six minutes into the second half Consett regained the lead when Ali Alshabeeb’s cross from the right saw Darren Holden try a shot which bounced up for Andrei Ardelean to head over stranded home keeper Andrew Grainger to open his account for the club.

Knight was Benfield’s dangerman, and forced another good save from Hayes as they sought to get on terms again, but Consett went further ahead on 72 minutes when a delightful turn and pass from Carr set up the marauding Jermaine Metz, who slotted past Grainger for his first goal for the club.

eader across goal from Holden’s cross as Consett sought another goal to kill the game, and Joe Sloan came off the bench for his competitive debut, but they had to ensure a nervy last few minutes after a quick free-kick by substitute Richie Slaughter gave  Glen-Ravenhill the chance to finish low past Hayes. However, the Steelmen were able to see out the game to claim all three points.

MATCH REPORT & PICTURES: GARY WELFORD

NEWCASTLE BENFIELD: 1 Andrew Grainger, 2 Matthew Parker, 3 Guilherme Baltazar (sub Jake Turnbull 57), 4 Mark Turnbull (captain), 5 James Novak, 6 Brad Varga, 7 Ben Richardson (sub Richie Slaughter 62), 8 Jordan Laidler, 9 Mechak Kanda (sub Cyril Giraud 73), 10 Dennis Knight, 11 Peter Glen-Ravenhill. Subs not used: Kurtis Russell, Aiden Haley.

CONSETT: 1 Kyle Hayes, 2 Jermaine Metz, 3 Nick Allen, 4 Matty Slocombe, 5 Arjun Purewal (captain), 6 Simon Jakab, 7 Ali Alshabeeb (sub Joe Sloan 81), 8 Calvin Smith (sub Jake Stafford 66), 9 Andrei-Vasile Ardelean (sub Lewis McGeoch 85), 10 Luke Carr, 11 Darren Holden. Subs not used: David Brown, Max Russell.

ATTENDANCE: 178

MOM: Matty Slocombe