Report

Consett made it three pre-season wins in a row over Northern League opposition as they beat Whitley Bay 2-0 in their latest friendly.

The Seahorses have recruited well under Nick Grey, who took over as manager midway through last season, but the Steelmen scored a goal in each half to claim the win, and a third successive clean sheet.

Andy Coyles’ side have already beaten Birtley Town 8-0 and Northallerton Town 2-0, after losing 4-2 at Berwick Rangers in their first warm-up game.

Consett started brightly and had their first chance after just three minutes when Karl Byrne cut in from the flank and saw his shot saved by Bay keeper Dan Lister, with Jake Orrell putting the rebound over.

In the eighth minute Consett thought they had the lead when Byrne’s pass put Zak Atkinson in on goal and he finished first time past Lister, only to be flagged offside.

A minute later Declan Bisset’s pass left Adam Mitchell with only the keeper to beat, but he lifted his lob just over the crossbar.

Consett were doing most of the attacking, and got the breakthrough their play deserved on 25 minutes when another fine Bisset pass played Darren Holden in on goal, and the left-back fired home right-footed, pictured top.

Shortly before the break, the visitors had their first chance of the game when ex-Morpeth forward Sean Taylor tried his luck with a shot from 20 yards, but his effort was too high to trouble Consett keeper Ross Coombe.

At the other end, a delightful cross from Dan Marriott found the head of Bisset, who looked certain to score, but put his header inches wide.

Half-time: Consett 1 Whitley Bay 0

Karl Byrne was again getting forward well from right-back, and had a couple of efforts on goal after cutting in from the flank,

Two minutes before the break Bisset looked certain to get his name on the scoresheet when he met a cross from Dan Marriott, but put his header inches wide.

On 56 minutes Marriott almost doubled Consett’s lead with a deft header from Mitchell’s cross, but Lister made a fine save at full stretch, clawing the ball away.

But he was powerless to stop the hosts making it 2-0 a minute later, with the roles reversed from the first half, as Holden’s right-wing corner picked out the unmarked Declan Bisset to head home at the far post.

The usual rash of substitutions saw the game lose some of its momentum in the second half, but the visitors did record a couple more strikes on goal, with Luke Porritt firing just over and sub Oliver Cresdee getting his effort on target, but not troubling sub keeper Mark Foden.

There were no further goals, but the decent crowd of 203 headed home well entertained by two teams who, with starting places up for grabs very soon, certainly didn’t treat the game as a kickabout.

CONSETT: 1 Ross Coombe (sub Mark Foden 65), 2 Karl Byrne, 3 Darren Holden (sub Kieren Aplin 65), 4 Matty Slocombe (captain), 5 James Metcalfe (sub Darren Holden 80), 6 Calvin Smith (sub Dan Capewell 67)), 7 Dan Marriott (sub Cyril Giraud 58) 8 Jake Orrell (sub Lewis Green 65), 9 Zak Atkinson (sub Danny Craggs 67), 10 Declan Bissett (sub A Trialist 58), 11 Adam Mitchell (sub Jeremie De Costa 80).
Cards: none.

WHITLEY BAY: 1 Dan Lister, 2 Scott Lowery, 3 Elliott Day, 4 Ben Richardson, 5 Trialist A, 6 Michael Hall, 7 Sean Taylor, 8 Harvey Neary, 9 Adam Shanks, 10 Trialist B, 11 Luke Porritt. Subs: Malcolm Morien, Dan Regan (GK), Stephen Turnbull, Sam Irons, Oliver Cresdee, Lewis Orrell.
Cards: none.

ATTENDANCE: 203.