Report

Consett took their unbeaten run to 13 games by hammering Ryhope CW 7-3 at a blizzard-hit Belle View.

Terry Mitchell made two changes to the side which had beaten Wythenshawe in the FA Vase a week earlier, with captain Arjun Purewal returning at centre-back for Nick Allen, and Wouter Verstraaten making his first start in place of midfielder Jake Orrell, who was only fit enough for a place on the bench after limping off last week.

The Steelmen raced into a 5-0 half-time lead with a superb first-half performance, but to the visitors’ credit they kept going and ‘won’ the blizzard-hit second half 3-2.

The home side were on the front foot from the start, and leading scorer Dale Pearson was inches away from opening the scoring after just four minutes, fizzing a shot just over from 20 yards.

Consett took the lead after nine minutes when Calvin Smith headed his 14th goal of the season, pictured, from Luke Carr’s right-wing corner.

On 13 minutes it was 2-0 when a Carr corner from the opposite side found Dale Pearson, who rifled home to maintain his goal-a-game record.

Ryhope had their first chance on 17 minutes when James Ellis cut in from the left, but Consett keeper Kyle Hayes saved well with his legs at the expense of a corner.

It was a rare attack by the visitors, and 21 minutes they went three goals down, when, after good work by Verstraaten and Ali Alshabeeb, Carr set up Dale Pearson to slot home his second goal of the afternoon.

After his hat-trick of assists, Luke Carr got on the scoresheet himself in the 24th minute. Consett were awarded a free-kick 18 yards out, to the right of the penalty area, after centre-back Danni Lay caught Ali Alshabeeb in the face with his hand as they chased a through ball, earning himself a yellow card. Carr stepped up to curl a delightful free-kick in at the far post, past the keeper’s despairing dive.

In the 25^th minute Consett had a strong penalty claim turned down when Alshabeeb seemed to be bundled over from behind as he shaped to shoot, but the referee waved away their appeals.

But on 36 minutes Dale Pearson completed his second hat-trick of the season when Darren Holden picked out his run with a superb arrowed pass, and the in-form striker beat the keeper to make it 5-0.

Consett began the second half kicking into a fierce wind, and Matty Slocombe – still looking for his first goal of the season – fired a low drive just wide of the left-hand post on 57 minutes.

Less than a minute later Verstraaten won the ball in midfield and fed it to Pearson, who turned provider for Ali Alshabeeb to make it 6-0 with a cool finish.

The goal was the cue for a blizzard, driven by even stronger winds, to begin, and also the signal for a Ryhope revival of sorts. They made a double substitution after the goal, and one of the new arrivals, Michael Rae, reduced the deficit on 67 minutes.

Five minutes later Consett made it 7-1, as Jermaine Metz cut the ball back for Ali Alshabeeb to claim his second goal of the afternoon. It was his last contribution of the afternoon, as he and Pearson were replaced by Andrei-Vasile Ardelean and Thomas McAloon. Max Russell then came on for Carr as Consett took the opportunity to rest some of their key players ahead of a pre-Christmas period in which they play three games in seven days.

The conditions were making it increasingly difficult for Consett to get out of their own half, and in the 77th minute Ryhope scored again. Oli Hotchkiss sent a cross over from the left, and it ended up in the far corner of the net, with keeper Kyle Hayes claimed he was impeded as he tried to catch it.

And in the 88th minute Consett gave away possession deep in their own penalty area, and Jon Weirs took advantage to make the final score of a remarkable game 7-3.

MATCH REPORT & PICTURES: GARY WELFORD

CONSETT: 1 Kyle Hayes, 2 Jermaine Metz, 3 Darren Holden, 4 Matty Slocombe, 5 Arjun Purewal (captain), 6 Ross Wilkinson, 7 Wouter Verstraaten, 8 Calvin Smith, 9 Dale Pearson (sub Andrei-Vasile Ardelean 73), 10 Luke Carr (sub Max Russell 75), 11 Ali Alshabeeb (sub Thomas McAloon 73). Subs not used: Simon Jakab, Jake Orrell.

RYHOPE CW: 1 Jordan Harkess, 2 Elliott Woods, 3 Jack Walker, 4 Ben Riding, 5 Danni Lay, 6 Jon Weirs, 7 David Vincent (sub Bailey Judson 59), 8 Ollie Hotckhiss, 8 Robbie Bird, 10 Nat Skidmore, 11 James Ellis (sub Michael Rae 59). Subs not used: Carl Jones, Chris Trewick, Matty Weirs.

ATTENDANCE: 288