Report

Managerless Consett’s wait for a first win of the season goes on after an agonising penalty shootout defeat to fellow strugglers Atherton Collieries in their first home FA Trophy tie for 30 years.

The sides drew 1-1 in a scrappy 1st Qualifying Round game at Belle View, but it was Colls who kept their nerve to go through 5-4 on penalties.

Neither side had won a game this season, and the NPL Division One West’s bottom side, who contained three new signings, started the game brightly, keen to impress new manager Michael Clegg, who was back after five years away from the club he led to three promotions.

They had the game’s first attempt on goal after 15 minutes when Will Riding, one of their new faces, sent on a curling free-kick from the left, but it was dealt with well by Consett’s 17-year-old keeper Elliott Claydon.

Two minutes later a promising attack down the right saw Consett’s Isaac Walker sent a tantalising low cross across the six-yard box, but there was no home player close enough to complete the tap-in.

On the half hour Atherton – who’ve only scored once this season – thought they’d doubled their tally when Lewis Mansell scored with a header from another Riding free-kick, but it was ruled out for a push.

A strange incident just before half-time saw Riding booked for time-wasting as he waited a few seconds for teammates to move into position at a throw-in, and when manager Clegg questioned the referee about it in the tunnel at half-time he was shown a red card!

Half-time: Consett 0 Atherton Collieries 0

Consett had barely had an effort on goal in the first half, but came out with renewed purpose after the break and started to create chances.

On 51 minutes Walker did well to win back possession on the right flank as Atherton tried to play out, then cut inside and let fly, but his shot was skewed well wide.

Six minutes later a defensive error left Ben Ramsey clean through, but keeper Ellis Litherland stood up well in the one-on-one to make a vital save.

Consett had another chance on 69 minutes when a scramble following a set piece saw Marc Costello’s shot superbly cleared off the line by sub Eden Bailey.

Once again, the misses would come back to haunt the Steelmen, as Atherton took the lead on 74 minutes when a defensive header dropped invitingly for Ethan Kershaw to score with a dipping 25-yarder.

Just when Consett looked to be heading out with a whimper, they equalised in the 94th minute with Dominic Curl‘s first goal for the club, a neat glancing header from a Ramsey corner.

 

 

That took the game to penalties, which went like this:

1-0 to Atherton as Oli Putnam scores
1-1 as Kaleb Young levels for Consett
2-1 to Atherton as Danny Lafferty scores
2-2 as Ben Ramsey levels again for Consett
3-2 to Atherton as Max Bradley-Rowe scores
3-3 as Isaac Walker levels again for Consett
4-3 to Atherton as Pa Babou Jenkins scores
4-4 as Liam Colledge levels again for Consett
5-4 to Atherton as Eden Bailey scores
5-4 Jake Jensen hits the bar with Consett’s final kick and Atherton go through