Consett increased their lead at the top of the Northern League table to seven points on this day in 2008, with a comfortable win over Ashington in a midweek match at Belle Vue Park.
Continue reading “On this day: 26 November 2008 – Emmo’s hot streak continues as Consett beat Ashington”
Four goals in an amazing 15-minute spell either side of half-time gave Consett the points against bottom club Hebburn Town on this day back in 2013.
But manager Kenny Lindoe was just as pleased with the clean sheet his side kept in the Ebac Northern League Division One game at Hebburn Sports Club – it was just their second of the season.
This was their 16th consecutive away game of a lop-sided season as they waited for their new ground Belle View Stadium to be finished.
In a typically attack-minded move, Lindoe made just one change to the starting line-up from the previous game, a 5-3 midweek win at Morpeth, which you can read about here, with Aris Guerin-Lokonga coming in for the injured David Brown.
He lined up in a three-man attack with Michael Mackay and Luke Sullivan, with Anthony Lund dropping in to left-back. Hebburn, who were still looking for their first league win of the season, included one ex-Steelman, midfielder Daniel Reeves, who’d made three appearances in 2011-12.
Consett started the game as they’d left off against Morpeth four days earlier, and Sullivan had a chance after just two minutes, but volleyed wide of the left-hand post from Mackay’s cross.
But both sides struggled to find any sort of rhythm for the next 20 minutes, and the first-half had reached its midway point by the time the next serious chance arrived.
Sullivan tried his luck with a free-kick from 25 yards, and although Consett claimed a defender in the wall had handled, the referee was unmoved.
Mackay had the next notable chance on 25 minutes, but fired over from 20 yards – so far over, in fact, that the ball cleared the wall behind the goal and ended up on the main road outside.
However, Michael Mackay showed he had his shooting boots on 10 minutes later when he received the ball on the edge of the box, worked an opportunity for himself, and cracked home a great shot to make it 1-0.
Seven minutes later it was 2-0, and this time it was top scorer Luke Sullivan on target. Consett were awarded a free-kick on the right, and Calvin Smith’s dead ball was met by the head of the No 9, who powered it home from eight yards.
Right on half-time Consett scored again, and it was the best goal of the game. Chris Bell’s corner from the right was cleared only as far as Andrew Cuthbertson on the left edge of the box, and he took a couple of steps forward before curling an exquisite chip just under the bar, beyond the grasp of Hebburn keeper Andy Hunter. Cuppa didn’t score many, but when he did they were top-quality.
Consett went in at the break 3-0 up, and within five minutes of the restart they had extended their advantage. Michael Pearson’s pass in from the right found Michael Mackay, who prodded the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
It seemed to be a question of how many Consett would now score, but to Hebburn’s credit they kept plugging away, and began to create chances themselves.
Giant striker Channon North had one shot saved by keeper Jack Norton, then blazed the rebound over, and steered another wide with the goal at his mercy.
Consett also had chances to add to their total. Smith struck a 30-yarder just over the bar, and Mackay drilled a shot wide from Chris Bell’s pass. The ex-Hartlepool striker had a great chance to complete his hat-trick when he was set up by Guerin-Lokonga on 72 minutes, but again fired over from 20 yards.
The last chance of the game fell to Hebburn No 9 Kris Goss, with just a couple of minutes remaining, but he hit the bar with a free header after a sloppy piece of marking by the Consett defence.
HEBBURN TOWN: 1 Andy Hunter (captain), 2 Matthew Hornsby (sub 15 Scott Wallace 46 mins), 3 Peter Henderson, 4 Daniel Reeves, 5 Alexander Downey, 6 Kris Summers, 7 Marc Costello, 8 Michael Watson (sub 13 Callum Smith 46 mins), 9 Kris Goss, 10 Channon North, 11 Lewis Lynch (sub 16 Paul Gordon 70 mins). Subs not used: 12 Chris Smith, 14 Kevin Morton.
CONSETT: 1 Jack Norton, 2 Michael Pearson, 3 Anthony Lund, 4 Calvin Smith, 5 Carl Piecha (captain) (sub 15 Scott Martindale 79 mins), 6 Ryan Bell, 7 Chris Bell, 8 Andrew Cuthbertson (sub 17 Matty Slocombe 65 mins), 9 Luke Sullivan (sub 12 Ian Davidson 61 mins), 10 Michael Mackay, 11 Aris Guerin-Lokonga. Subs not used: 14 Kieran Martin, 16 Craig Robson.
Consett showed both sides of their Jekyll and Hyde character in a game against Whitley Bay in this day back in 2008.
The Steelmen eventually ran out comfortable 4-1 winners against a Seasiders side who would end the season by scuppering Consett’s title hopes – read more about that here – and recording the first of three consecutive FA Vase triumphs.
When this game took place at Belle Vue Park on Saturday 8 November, Consett were 2nd in the skilltrainingltd Northern League Division One, having been knocked off the top after losing at Chester-le-Street the week before. Whitley Bay were 11th.
Even within this 90 minutes, Consett’s following were treated to a bit of everything, as for the first half an hour they were a distant second best to their visitors. However, for the rest of the game the performance was as good as the previous week’s defeat at Chester Moor Park had been poor.
Whitley had by far the better of the opening exchanges, threatening as early as the sixth minute when Paul Chow’s low shot forced Consett keeper Paul Gilmore into a good save. Gilmore saved the Steelmen again four minutes later, coming out save with his feet from Bruce Hogg who was left clean through when Carl Piecha missed an attempted clearance.
Adam Emson had shot wide under pressure in Consett’s only serious attack of the first third of the game, but the Steelmen were soon under pressure again, with David Coulson – who would go on to have a brief spell at the club a few years later – heading a left-wing corner over the bar.
The inevitable breakthrough came for the Bay on 25 minutes. After Chow saw a shot blocked and loop up into the air, Chris Fawcett held off his marker to lay the ball off to Bruce Hogg, who hammered it into roof of the net.
It was almost 2-0 a couple of minutes later when Paul Robinson’s ball over the top released Chow, but Gilmore came out smartly to tackle the ever-dangerous striker.
Completely against the run of play, Consett found themselves level in the 36th minute. David Pounder’s right-wing corner dropped in the six yard box and after a goalmouth scramble Carl Piecha poked the ball home to make it 1-1.
The goal acted like an off switch for Whitley, who were simply never in the game thereafter. Andy Cuthbertson sent in a fine cross which Steven Johnson headed at Bay keeper Terry Burke, and then two minutes before half-time Consett took the lead. Jonjo Dickman won an important challenge in the Bay penalty area and the ball broke kindly to Emson, who fired home from eight yards.
Emson should have added another on the stroke of half time when he skinned Darren Timmons and bore down on goal, but Burke stopped Emmo’s effort with his legs.
Half-time: Consett 2 Whitley Bay 1
Burke was much the busier of the two keepers in the second half but could only watch thankfully as Emson’s glancing header from Pounder’s wicked inswinging corner flashed wide.
The Steelmen had a scare just before the hour mark when a right-wing corner was only half cleared as far as Chris Fawcett, whose volley arrived at an awkward height, forcing Gilmore to somehow fumble the ball round the post.
Consett spent much of their time soaking up pressure from their visitors and then hitting them with dangerous attacks, and one such situation midway through the second half resulted in Emson and Johnson up against just one defender, however the attack ended with Johnson shooting harmlessly at Burke.
Another lethal Pounder inswinger almost found the net directly, but Burke tipped it over the bar. Two minutes later though, Consett’s third finally arrived as a result of another counter-attack.
Johnson collected the ball then sent an excellent defence-splitting pass through to the unmarked Emson, who took his chance first time and make no mistake.
This stirred Bay out of their slumbers and on 77 minutes Chris Moore – who would later play for and manage Consett – embarked on a brilliant run past five defenders, only to see Gilmore cut out his cross. Five minutes later substitute Lee Kerr fired in a shot, but Chow deflected it over the bar from in front of goal.
Consett added their fourth in the last minute of normal time. Whitley threw everyone up for a corner, but Emson’s clearance set Johnson on a quick breakaway, and despite being on his own he beat a defender and let fly with a shot that had enough pace to cross the line despite Burke getting both hands to the ball.
There was still time for Bay’s Fawcett and Consett’s Johnson to be denied in one on ones, but there was no further scoring and the Steelmen stormed back to the top of the Northern League with this impressive win.
Full-time: Consett 4 Whitley Bay 1
Consett: 1 Paul Gilmore, 2 Karl Baston, 3 Michael Coulthard, 4 Jonjo Dickman, 5 Carl Piecha, 6 Craig Robson, 7 Chris Scott (sub David Scorer 84), 8 Andrew Cuthbertson, 9 Adam Emson, 10 Steven Johnson, 11 David Pounder. Subs not used: Paul Curry, James Platten, Carl Heiniger, Mattie Moffat.
Whitley Bay: 1 Terry Burke, 2 Darren Timmons, 3 Chris Reid (sub Leon Ryan 46), 4 Craig McFarlane, 5 David Coulson, 6 Bruce Hogg (sub Lee Kerr 60), 7 Chris Moore, 8 Damon Robson, 9 Chris Fawcett, 10 Paul Chow, 11 Paul Robinson (sub Mark Taylor 48). Subs not used: Phil Bell, Darren Reay.
Consett took their fans on a roller-coaster ride in an entertaining Wednesday night game at Morpeth Town on this day seven years ago.
The Northern League Division One game at Craik Park saw them rack up their 50th goal of the season, but concede their 48th – in just their 19th game!
Manager Kenny Lindoe made two changes to the side which had beated Jarrow Roofing eight days earlier, with fit-again defenders Carl Piecha and Ryan Bell coming in for Matty Slocombe and Mark Eccles, with the latter a late withdrawal after pulling up in the warm-up.
The Steelmen pushed forward from the start, and should have gone in front within two minutes, when a good move down the right gave Chris Bell a chance, but he badly miscued his shot across the face of goal.
But on four minutes Consett were ahead, with Bell making amends by sending Michael Mackay clear with a measured pass which beat the offside trap, and left the former Hartlepool man the simple task of slotting home past advancing keeper Steven Mundy.
After their early setback, the home side regrouped to enjoy their best spell of the game, with Sean Taylor and Jordan Fry both going close, before a right-wing cross brought the equaliser on 19 minutes. A ball in from the wing fell to the back post, where Taylor fired home. However, the referee had already blown the whistle for a push on Michael Chilton by Michael Pearson, and awarded a penalty. Chilton stepped up and thumped his spot-kick into the top-left corner.
Consett thought they had re-taken the lead on the half-hour mark. David Brown took a quick free-kick to Anthony Lund on the left, and his cross found Mackay, who hooked the ball home. But the away bench had returned a stray ball onto the pitch, and even though it was not interfering with play, the referee ruled out the ‘goal’.
The incident seemed to make Consett lose their focus for a while, and on 40 minutes they went behind, after a flowing Morpeth move down the right. Defender Daniel Patterson started it with a pass out to Fry on the right, and he reached the by-line before crossing into the six-yard box, where Chilton netted with a cheeky backheel.
With the final kick of the half, Consett made it 2-2. Piecha set Lund away down the left with a long ball out from the back, and when Morpeth keeper Mundy came racing out of his area into no-man’s land, the wide-man rolled it past him from 30 yards.
Half time: Morpeth Town 2-2 Consett
Consett made a change at half-time, bringing on Aris Guerin-Lokonga for Brown, with Lund dropping to left-back. And it paid dividends when they retook the lead on the hour. Mackay fed the ball out to Chris Bell on the right, and he drove the ball into the middle, where Sullivan finished from a few yards out, for his 20th goal of the season.
Pearson almost joined him on the scoresheet a couple of minutes later when his speculative effort from the right was pawed from under the crossbar by Mundy, and then Mackay put a header straight at the keeper from another Chris Bell cross.
But in what was fast becoming the story of the season, the Steelmen were made to pay for not taking their chances, as Morpeth equalised on 72 minutes. Right-back Shaun Henderson crossed towards Chilton, and the striker looked to have been pushed in the back by Piecha, who headed the ball up in the air. As the rest of the defence stood watching, Taylor reacted first to rifle the dropping ball into the top-right corner.
As the game entered its last quarter of an hour it looked like ‘next goal wins’, and Consett had what they thought was a good penalty appeal turned down when Guerin-Lokonga was sent sprawling by centre-back Chris Jewels as they chased a ball into the box.
The referee awarded only a corner, but the decision worked in Consett’s favour, as from the setpiece they went 4-3 ahead. Bell’s corner was half-cleared, and Calvin Smith lashed home the goal of the game from 25 yards with a superb strike which went in off the bar.
Consett brought on Craig Robson for Andrew Cuthbertson in a bid to shore things up, but they needn’t have worried, as, with five minutes to go, they scored again to wrap the game up. Pearson’s pass sent Guerin-Lokonga clear, and he made the keeper commit himself before unselfishly squaring the ball for Sullivan to roll his second goal of the night and 21st of the season into the unguarded net.
Full time: Morpeth 3-5 Consett
The teams lined up:
Morpeth Town : Steven Mundy, Shaun Henderson Michael Robinson, Andrew Keenan (Scott Swanston 75), David Hiftle, Chris Jewels (capt), Stephen Forster (Shaun Bell 75), Jordan Fry, Daniel Patterson (Steven Anderson 68), Michael Chilton, Sean Taylor. Subs not used: Michael Hall, Marc Walmsley
Consett: Jack Norton, Michael Pearson, David Brown (Aris Guerin-Lokonga 46), Calvin Smith, Carl Piecha (capt), Ryan Bell, Chris Bell, Andrew Cuthbertson (Craig Robson 80), Luke Sullivan, Michael Mackay, Anthony Lund. Subs not used: Matty Slocombe, Daniel Hall
This was the season Consett played their first 18 league games away from home, while they waited for their new Belle View Stadium to be completed. This was the 15th of those games. Such an unbalanced schedule obviously took its toll on the Steelmen, and they finished the season 11th.
Morpeth, who had only been promoted from the 2nd Division the season before, finished 17th in their first season back in the top flight. But their fortunes over the next few seasons would show how quickly things can change in football.
They were 8th the next season, then 4th – in the same season where they lifted the FA Vase – before two runners-up finishes prepared the way for promotion.
