Consett’s interim manager Andy Coyles has thanked the Conny Army for their ‘staggering’ support after the club played its final game of 2021.
Continue reading “Andy Coyles thanks Consett fans for their ‘staggering’ support”
Tag: andy coyles
Consett beat Benfield to reach last 32 of FA Vase
Consett will be in Monday’s FA Vase 4th Round draw after an excellent performance saw them win 4-0 today at fellow Northern League club Newcastle Benfield.
Interim manager Andy Coyles was without the services of six players, and had to name two of the club’s U19s, David Richardson and Kieran Scott, among his substitutes.
But the Steelmen made light of the absentees with a performance which saw them dominate the game from start to finish.
They went ahead after just five minutes, when Jake Orrell’s pass sent Colin Larkin clear, and the veteran striker made it 1-0 by lobbing the onrushing keeper from 12 yards.
On 20 minutes Consett should have doubled their advantage when Luke Carr’s deep free-kick found Calvin Smith unmarked at the back post, but he put his header wide.
But on 26 minutes it was 2-0, when Colin Larkin took a pass from Olly Scott and fired into the corner, pictured below, despite the attentions of two defenders.
Two minutes before half-time the Steelmen grabbed a third goal, as skipper Arjun Purewal scored with a glancing header from Orrell’s left-wing corner.
A minute into the second half another Orrell inswinger caused chaos in the six-yard box, but Benfield managed to hack the ball off the line before Consett could force it home.
The game was wrapped up in the 72nd minute when Carr danced through a few challenges and forced a good save from the keeper, only for the rebound to fall to top scorer Dale Pearson, who blasted home his 19th goal of the season, pictured below.
Four minutes from the end Consett almost had a fifth when the outstanding Orrell ran through on goal, but he was denied by a fine stop by keeper Alfie Gordon.
They will be joined in Monday’s draw by fellow Northern League club North Shields, who won 3-2 at Barton Rovers, but Billingham Synthonia are out, beaten 3-0 at Wythenshawe Town.
- Full match report, stats and more pictures to follow.
Dale double gets Consett’s new era off to a winning start
Two goals from top scorer Dale Pearson got Consett’s interim manager Andy Coyles off to a winning start tonight as they beat Whickham 2-1 at Belle View Stadium.
But the Steelmen had to do it the hard way in their first game since former manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson left for Blyth Spartans.
Whickham took the lead against the run of play in the 19th minute when Zak Atkinson converted a right-wing cross from close range.
Consett responded well, with Luke carr firing just wide, Colin Larkin forcing the keeper into a good save at his near post, and Larkin again heading just wide from Jake Orrell’s cross.
But they levelled in the 41st minute when Whickham right-back Ryan Bolton hauled down Olly Scott, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.
Striker Dale Pearson stepped up to take it, and calmly slotted home his 17th goal of the season to make it 1-1.
Right in half-time Consett almost took the lead when Arjun Purewal flicked on a ball into the box, and James Martin’s header beat the keeper but came back off the post into his arms.
It remained 1-1 at the break, but Consett took just five minutes of the second half to get what proved to be the matchwinning goal.
When Whickham’s keeper could only parry Orrell’s well-struck 25-yarder, Larkin was first to the rebound to square for Dale Pearson to net from a few yards out, pictured top.
The big striker thought he had his first hat-trick of the season two minutes later when he beat the keeper to a loose ball after Larkin’s shot was blocked, but he was ruled offside.
The only black spot of the night came in the 85th minute when Dan Marriott, who came on as a sub for Darren Holden just before half-time, was sent off.
He was shown two yellow cards in the space of five minutes, first for kicking the ball away, and then for a fairly innocuous foul. Sadly, the red card which followed rules him out of next weekend’s FA Vase game at Newcastle Benfield.
The majority of the bumper Friday night crowd of 568 headed home even happier when they heard that second-placed West Auckland Town had unexpectedly lost, 5-3 at home to West Allotment Celtic. That means Consett are now 10 points clear at the top of Division One.
- Full match report, stats and more pictures to follow.
Andy Coyles takes over as Consett’s temporary manager, with Ben Cole as No 2
Coach Andy Coyles, pictured top, will take over as temporary manager of Consett AFC for the “foreseeable future”, with Ben Cole as his assistant.
That’s the news from Belle View Stadium this afternoon following the shock resignation of manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson to join National League North club Blyth Spartans.
Consett AFC Chairman Frank Bell confirmed the interim appointment, saying: “The club has appointed Andy Coyles as temporary manager for the foreseeable future, assisted by Ben Cole.”
Andy, who was with Whitehaven and Workington during his playing days, joined our backroom team just before the start of the 2019-20 season.
A holder of the Uefa ‘A’ licence, he is senior lecturer and practitioner in sport coaching/PE at Northumbria University in Newcastle, and head coach of the England Universities men’s football team.
He spent three years as a coach at Stoke City before relocating to the North East, and had a spell as manager of Northern League side Penrith.
Ben, pictured below, is an ex-Middlesbrough pro who joined Consett in September 2014 to provide specialist goalkeeping coaching.
As a player, he was ever-present for Kenny Lindoe’s Brandon United side when they won the Northern League title against all the odds in 2002-03.
He hung up his gloves, but was forced to come out of retirement three times in 2016 to solve goalkeeping crises. He’s now retired for good as a player, but remains a popular figure at the club.
Consett manager Terry Mitchell and his No. 2 quit to join Blyth Spartans
Consett manager Terry Mitchell and his assistant Graeme Coulson today left the club to take up positions at National League North club Blyth Spartans.
Their shock resignations come with the Steelmen seven points clear at the top of Northern League Division One, and in the 3rd Round of the FA Vase, eyeing a return trip to Wembley.
Terry took over the hotseat at the start of the 2019-20 season, while Graeme had also served as Chris Moore’s No 2 the previous season.
They took the club all the way to Wembley for the first time in the club’s history in the 2019-20 FA Vase, losing 3-2 to then-Northern League rivals Hebburn Town in the Covid-delayed final in May 2021.
Consett AFC chairman Frank Bell said: “I got a phone call from Terry today to say that he and Graeme are leaving with immediate effect to take up similar posts with Blyth Spartans.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Terry for his hard work and dedication over the last two and a half years, and to Graeme for the last three and a half years.
“They gave us the wonderful experience of taking the club to Wembley, and leave us in a good position to fulfil our ambition of promotion. We wish them all the very best in their endeavours at Blyth Spartans.”
Coach Andy Coyles will become temporary manager with immediate effect, assisted by goalkeeping coach Ben Cole.
