Report

Consett made it two wins from two pre-season games today when they eventually wore down a dogged Richmond Town side to record a 2-0 win at Belle View Stadium.

Despite the two-division gap between the sides, the Wearside League outfit made Consett work hard for their win, with the breakthrough only coming thanks to an unfortunate goalkeeping error.

The Steelmen dominated the first half, and Dale Pearson almost opened the scoring on nine minutes when he powered through the visitors’ defence, but the keeper got enough on his shot for a defender to get back and clear off the line.

In the 20th minute a Calvin Smith effort was just wide when he headed Jake Orrell’s cross back across goal, pictured below.

Richmond actually had the ball in the net midway through the half, when their No 6 met a deep cross from the right to finish at the back post, but he was ruled offside.

On 26 minutes the Richmond keeper made an excellent save from one of Consett’s trialists, pushing his well-struck shot over the bar.

Consett rang the changes at half-time, making five substitutions, and one of the newcomers, Dan Marriott, brought another good save from the keeper on 51 minutes, with a header from a right-wing cross.

Another sub, Stephen Callen, then set up Dale Pearson, but the keeper denied him with a fine point-blank save at his near post.

Unfortunately for Richmond, it was a goalkeeping error which saw Consett take the lead on 61 minutes.

Good work by Callen set up Jake Orrell for a shot from the edge of the box, and although it was well struck, the ball somehow squirmed through the keeper’s grasp and bounced over the line.

Two minutes later an absolute rocket by Darren Holden almost doubled Consett’s lead, but fizzed wide of the right-hand post.

Richmond had defended well, but on 75 minutes they conceded a second goal. Marriott fed the ball to Callen, whose perfectly-weighted pass saw Lewis Green finish low under the keeper, for his first goal for the club, pictured top.

Richmond almost got a goal back in the 80th minute when their No 9 burst through, but Consett keeper Kyle Hayes, who hadn’t had a lot to do, saved well with his legs.

A minute from the end Carl Lawson almost made it three when he beat his man with a lovely turn and let fly from 25 yards, only to see his shot rattle the crossbar and bounce out, pictured below.

In the end Consett had to settle for 2-0, but the visitors could head back to North Yorkshire knowing they had made their higher-ranked hosts work hard for the victory.