Report

Consett gave visitors Workington a lesson in the art of taking their chances as they made it five pre-season games unbeaten at a blustery Belle View

In the opening 15 minutes nothing happened attacking wise for either side as both struggled to break the other down. Workington’s Ceiran Casson had the opening chance of the game 16 minutes in, but dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Consett responded with a chance of their own as Calvin Smith switched the ball over the full-back to Darren Holden, who was playing in a more advanced role than usual, but shot straight at the visitors’ keeper.

Workington controlled most of the first half’s play, passing the ball well. However, they only managed half chances, the best falling to Dav Symington after a sweeping team move, but he blasted the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.

It was against the run of play that Consett midfielder Dan Hawkins grabbed the first goal of the game three minutes before half-time.

Nick Allen, who switched from left-back to right-back after an injury to Jermaine Metz early in the game, won the ball with a strong challenge on halfway. The alert Hawkins then used the wind to his advantage, lobbing the stranded Jim Atkinson from 40 yards to make it 1-0 to Consett.

The Steelmen made a trio of changes at the break, with Ali Alshabeeb, Jake Stafford and a trialist left-back coming on for Andrei-Vasile Ardelean, Hawkins and Adam Male.

Just like in the first half Workington had most of the possession and were creating half chances. The bes was on 52 minutes when left-back Liam Brockbank slalomed through Consett’s defence before fizzing a shot across goal.

Holden, playing left wing, was seeing a lot of the ball and looked very dangerous in the second half. On the hour mark he played a neat one-two which put him in on goal, but he lobbed the ball just over the bar from the left side of the six-yard box.

The wasted opportunities at the other end were piling up for the BetVictor Northern Premier League  North West Division side, with Brad Hubbold firing straight at home keeper Kyle Hayes in the 66th minute.

A minute later Consett went 2-0 up with a fantastic Holden goal. The full-back-turned-winger beat three opponents in a 30-yard run with ended with him homing in on goal and slotting under sub keeper Alex Mitchell.

It was to be the last part he played in the game, as Terry Mitchell took off Holden, Smith, Allen, a trialist striker  and Matty Slocombe, and replaced them with the returning Hawkins, Alex Johnson, Michael Brown, Max Russell and a trialist forward.

In the 84^th minute Consett made it 3-0. Arjun Purewal headed powerfully goalwards from a left-wing corner, and sub Michael Brown got the finishing touch from close range for his fourth pre-season goal.

The young striker thought he had a good claim for a penalty on 87 minutes after going down unsder challenge as he chased a through ball, but the referee wave play on.

After the game, Purewal received the Specsure Cup, which will hopefully be contested annually between the clubs, from one of the club’s major sponsors, Zag Sharif of Consett opticians Specsure.

CONSETT: 1 Kyle Hayes, 2 Jermaine Metz (sub Ross Wilkinson 20), 3 Nick Allen (sub Alex Johnson 75), 4 Matty Slocombe (sub Hawkins 75), 15 Adam Male (sub Trialist 2 46), 6 Arjun Purewal (captain), 7 Andrei-Vasile Ardelean (sub Ali Alshabeeb 46), 8 Calvin Smith (sub Max Russell 75), 9 Trialist 1 (sub Michael Brown 75), 10 Dan Hawkins (sub Jake Stafford 46), 11 Darren Holden (sub Trialist 3 75). Sub not used: Jack Brown (GK).

WORKINGTON: 1 Jim Atkinson (sub Alex Mitchell), 2 Robbie Hebson, 3 Liam Brockbank, 4 Dan Wordsworth, 12 Gari Rowntree, 6 Ceiran Casson, 7 Dav Symington, 8 Brad Hubbold (sub Charlie Bowman), 9 Scott Allison (sub Scott Williamson), 10 Ash Kelly (sub Kieran Maguire – sub Josh Calvert), 11 Connor Tinnion (captain).

MATCH REPORT: ADAM WEBB

PICTURES: GARY WELFORD