Report

Consett safely made it through to the 2nd Round of the Durham Challenge Cup with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Durham United.

After a slow start, first-half goals from Brandon Holdsworth and Dom Curl had the Steelmen ahead at the break, and a second-half effort from substitute Kieren Aplin put the result beyond doubt. The home side did pull one back through Phil Kay, but despite a late rally they never seriously threatened to take the game to a penalty shootout.

Consett manager Jason Miller named the same 10 outfield players that started the weekend win over Ashington but there was a change in goal, with James Anderson returning for the unavailable Harry Moss.

The main team news came from the substitutes, with skipper Ryan McKinnon and Kieren Aplin both returning from injury to take their places on a very strong bench. The home side play in the Wearside League Premier Division, three levels below Consett, but came into the game in excellent form, having won their first seven league games.

The game started in a fairly muted fashion and although Consett enjoyed the bulk of possession, they struggled to create any clear cut chances against a well organised and good footballing side. Indeed, they had to wait until the 20th minute for an effort of note and that was from a set play as Brandon Holdsworth sent a dipping 20-yard free kick just over the bar.

Two minutes later Ben Ramsey spurned a good chance to open the scoring as he cut in from the right and created space for a shot, which was straight at the keeper.

The Steelmen were starting to up the tempo and the breakthrough came on 23 minutes as Isaac Walker did well down the left to feed Brandon Holdsworth on the edge of the penalty area, where the striker turned neatly and made no mistake, finding the bottom corner for a well-taken goal.

It was one-way traffic at this stage but Consett did receive a warning on 32 minutes as Zach Alfalahi went on a great run down the left, beating three players before finding Phil Kay, who curled an effort narrowly wide.

Consett were having a lot of success attacking down their right and on 38 minutes Ramsey fashioned another chance for himself, turning his full-back inside out before hitting the side netting.

The second goal arrived on 41 minutes and it was no surprise that it came from the right side with Walker doing well to find Ramsey, and when his cross bobbled around in the penalty area, full-back Dom Curl was on hand to smash the ball past the keeper for his second goal of the season.

That was the last action of the half and Consett went into the break two goals to the good and in complete control of the game.

Half-time: Durham United 0 Consett 2

Neither side made any changes to start the second period, which started as the first had finished with Consett on the front foot. It only took three minutes for Walker to go past two defenders and bring an excellent save from Harry Archer, who tipped the winger’s shot onto the bar.

Consett made a double change on the hour mark with Jake Jensen and Jake Orrell replacing Calvin Smith and Ben Ramsey, however it was Durham who had the next chance.

They caught Consett overplaying at the back but centre-forward Finlay Gwillim opted to square the ball when it would have been better to shoot and his team mates were also clearly expecting a shot, as none of them alert to his ball across the six-yard box.

Two more subs almost combined for a third goal on 72 minutes as Aplin sent in a superb cross from the left that David Alassan was inches away from turning in at the far post.

The killer third goal did arrive on 76 minutes and it was a lovely solo effort from Kieren Aplin, who made his way past three defenders, and just as it looked as if he had run out of room and options, he produced a deft finish which caught the keeper completely by surprise.

To give Durham United credit they started to enjoy their best spell of the game and were rewarded with 12 minutes to go as Phil Kay made up for his miss in the first half, curling a good shot past Anderson’s despairing dive.

The home side had one final sight of goal with five minutes to go and it was Kay again, but Dom Curl intervened with a fantastic last-ditch block to prevent a grandstand finale and ensure Consett progressed to the next round, and another away tie, this time with Northern League side Easington Colliery.
MATCH REPORT: ANDY BALL