Tag: ben milburn

dunston

Consett bring home a hard-earned point from a feisty derby clash at Dunston

Consett remain unbeaten in four league and cup games this season after a hard-fought 0-0 draw against nearest neighbours Dunston tonight.

The Steelmen had lost their last four visits to the UTS Stadium, but could perhaps count themselves unlucky not to have won against opponents who, like themselves, had three straight wins to their name.

There were lots of old boys lining up against their former clubs, with Dan Staples, Michael Pearson, Luke Carr and Dale Pearson starting for Dunston, plus Jack Elliott on the bench, and James Anderson, Dan Capewell and Calvin Smith in the Consett ranks.

With regular skipper Matty Slocombe rested, centre-back Ben Milburn, pictured top, had the honour of leading the team out as captain for the first time.

It was one of the old boys who had the first chance on nine minutes, when a defensive mix-up let in Carr, but Arjun Purewal got back to clear off the line.

On 18 minutes Consett went close when Jake Orrell’s ball found Smith, and his cut-back looked to have set up the lively Wil Shaw for the opening goal, but he was denied by some excellent last-ditch defending by Jude Swailes.

The game exploded in the 21st minute when Dunston defender Chris McDonald was shown a straight red card, pictured below, for a high two-footed lunge at Shaw.

The No 3 was clearly riled after not being awarded a decision against Zak Atkinson moments earlier, but the challenge was a bad one and Shaw was lucky to escape serious injury.

With Dunston reduced to 10 men, Consett were enjoying lots of possession, and Jack Gibbons went on a mazy run which ended with him shooting wide from 20 yards.

On 35 minutes Consett had a big chance when their high press caught Dunston trying to play out from their own box. Atkinson won possession and fed Kaleb Young, who skewed his effort well wide, pictured below.

Dunston changed their set-up at half-time, and took the game to their visitors, forcing them on to the back foot, without really creating much in terms of clear-cut chances.

The nearest they came to scoring was in the 51st minute, when Capewell sliced a clearance across the face of his own goal as he tried to clear Robinson’s cross.

Consett’s best chance of the game came in the 81st minute when Shaw hit a fine opportunist strike from 25 yards, which Staples did well to tip over the crossbar for a corner.

Despite five minutes of added time, neither side could find a winner, and both remain unbeaten this season after taking a point apiece.

  • Full match report, picture gallery and manager interview to follow.

gibbons

Consett wrap up pre-season by coming from behind to beat Alnwick Town

Consett concluded their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 win over Northern Alliance side Alnwick Town at Belle View Stadium – but had to come from behind to do it.

With manager Tony Fawcett away, his assistant Wayne Buchanan took the reins for the first time, but his side quickly fell behind to opponents three divisions below them.

Alnwick broke quickly from a Consett corner in the fourth minute, and Lewis Fairbairn scored with a fine shot across keeper Aaron Steavens into the far corner.

It was a stunning goal, and with the home side struggling to make much headway against a stubborn visiting defence and a strong wind, the visitors almost doubled their lead in the 29th minute when 10 broke away, but this time Steavens made a good stop.

It remained 1-0 to Alnwick at half-time, and Consett rang the changes at the break, using all five substitutes. Within five minutes of the restart they were level.

Jack Gibbons picked up possession on the right and drove in to the penalty area, taking on two defenders. When he was tripped there was only one outcome, and after the referee pointed to the penalty spot Zak Atkinson stepped up to level the scores at 1-1.

Just before the hour the Alnwick keeper made a good save to deny Ben Ramsey as he cut in from the left, but there was nothing he could do two minutes later as Consett took the lead.

Ramsey swung a corner in from the left, Ben Milburn headed it back into the danger zone, and Dan Capewell was on hand to half-volley home from six yards for his second goal in successive games.

Wil Shaw came close to make it three in the 81st minute, but was denied by a fine low save by the keeper, who had already made a stunning fingertip save from Calvin Smith (though it wouldn’t have counted, as the Consett man was ruled offside anyway).

Consett weren’t finished, and in the 87th minute it was 3-1 when Jack Gibbons picked up possession outside the box and drove a fine shot into the bottom left corner, despite Alnwick’s sub keeper getting a hand to it.

Gibbons almost had a second right at the death, but this time the keeper got a stronger hand to the ball, and a defender completed the clearance before it could roll over the line.

  • Full match report, picture gallery, video highlights and post-match interview to follow.
stockton

Consett lose out to promotion-chasing Stockton Town in seven-goal Easter Monday thriller

Consett’s bid to secure Northern Premier League football next season goes on after they lost 4-3 to high-flying Stockton Town in a thrilling game at Belle View today.

Continue reading “Consett lose out to promotion-chasing Stockton Town in seven-goal Easter Monday thriller” →
carlton

Consett miss chance to guarantee NPL safety after slipping to defeat at Carlton Town

Consett’s bid to guarantee Northern Premier League football for next season will have to wait after they gave away a winning lead today and lost 2-1 at Carlton Town.

The Steelmen got off to a good start and they took the lead after just five minutes when Nathan Greenwood beat the home keeper at his near post from the left angle of the box, pictured above.

Danny Barlow was the width of an upright away from making it 2-0 when his clever lob beat the keeper but came back off the foot of the post in the 15th minute, pictured below.

Danny Barlow's lob comes back off the post with the Carlton goalkeeper beaten. Pic: Gary Welford.
Danny Barlow’s lob comes back off the post with the Carlton keeper beaten. Pic: Gary Welford.

But things began to unravel when centre-back Dan Capewell suffered a serious facial injury in an aerial challenge and had to go off.

Carlton forced a succession of corners and free-kicks as they put their visitors under a lot of pressure, but Consett defended stoutly, and didn’t give away any clear-cut chances.

The home side were convinced they had scored a minute before half-time, claiming Niall Davie’s inswinging corner had crossed the line before Consett keeper Mark Foden caught the ball, pictured below.

Consett keeper Mark Foden clutches the ball while Carlton appeal for a goal. Pic: Gary Welford.

The referee thought otherwise, and Consett reached half-time a goal to the good.

However, that didn’t last long, as two minutes into the second half Carlton levelled. Consett didn’t deal with a ball into the box and Niall Davie turned and fired into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.

The goal spurred Carlton on, and they were unlucky not to take the lead just before the hour when Alex Troke’s free-kick rattled the crossbar, and Consett skipper Arjun Purewal blocked Jared Holmes’s follow-up on the line, pictured below.

carlton
Consett skipper Arjun Purewal makes a vital block on the line. Pic: Gary Welford.

Foden saved well with his feet from Aaron O’Connor, but the game swung in Carlton’s favour in the 73rd minute when Consett defender Ben Milburn was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

The big centre-half’s protestations that a push from behind caused him to handle the ball as he jumped to head a long throw-in fell on deaf ears and the Steelmen were reduced to 10 men.

Centre-forward Alex Troke made no mistake with the resulting penalty, pictured below, putting Carlton firmly in the driving seat with a 2-1 lead.

carlton
Carlton No 9 Alex Troke scores the winner from the penalty spot. Pic: Gary Welford.

Niall Hylton, who was sent off when Carlton lost 5-0 at Consett back in August, almost made it 3-1 when his shot came back off the post, and in truth never looked like salvaging a point after a disappointing second-half performance.

  • Full match report, statistics and gallery of pictures HERE.

Next up for the Steelmen is a home game against promotion-chasing Stockton Town on Easter Monday, with a 3pm kick-off at Belle View.

sheffield

Consett beat Sheffield to give their bid to avoid relegation play-offs a big boost

Consett picked up a first win in nine games today, beating Sheffield 3-0 at Belle View Stadium to give their bid to avoid the relegation play-offs a timely boost.

A tight first-half saw chances at a premium, with Consett right-back Josh Baggs twice testing visiting keeper Jordan Pierrepont with headers from Dylan Garvey crosses.

Sheffield’s best chance came when home keeper Mark Foden scuffed a clearance to Luke Aldrich, but the striker put his shot well wide.

Consett took the lead in the 57th minute when Nathan Greenwood went on a mazy run and scored his first goal for the club with a neat dinked finish.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Jake Orrell buried a volley into the bottom corner from 25 yards, giving the keeper no chance.

Sheffield almost reduced the arrears on 69 minutes when Foden tipped Connor Cutts’ shot onto the post, and Benni Ndlovu’s follow-up was blocked on the line by Ben Milburn. A minute later sub Corey Glaves saw a goalbound header cleared off the line as Sheffield enjoyed their best spell of the game.

The final word went to Consett top scorer Zak Atkinson, who came on as a sub after seven weeks out injured and made it 3-0 in the last minute, spotting Pierrepont off his line and lobbing him from 40 yards for his 12th goal of the season.

The win saw Consett leapfrog Sheffield to go 12th, and it was made even better by losses for Shildon and Grantham and the fact Lincoln United could only draw.

  • Full match report, statistics and more pictures HERE.

Next up for the Steelmen is another home game on Tuesday, against Cleethorpes Town, kick-off 7.45pm.

grantham

Consett dragged into relegation battle after defeat at Grantham Town

Consett have been drawn into the heart of the Northern Premier League relegation fight after suffering a 3-0 defeat today at Grantham Town, the division’s second-bottom side.

Conceding two goals in the first half left Tony Fawcett’s team with a mountain to climb, and a third late in the game left them just a point outside the relegation play-off places.

The Steelmen’s side was much stronger than the one which drew at home to Ossett United last week, with Ben Milburn, skipper Arjun Purewal and Adam Mitchell returning to the defence.

But it was Consett’s failure to take three good chances in the first half which ultimately cost them the game.

They fell behind after just five minutes when Danny Barlow gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right of the penalty area. McCrory floated the ball in and burly striker Gregg Smith powered home an unmarked header at the back post to make it 1-0.

It took until midway through the half for Consett to show their attacking teeth, when Milburn recycled a half-cleared free-kick to set up Jake Orrell, but the keeper was off his line quickly to save at the expense of a corner.

From the resulting flag-kick centre forward Scott Fenwick had a clear header at goal, but put his powerful effort, pictured below, inches over the bar.

Grantham almost doubled their lead on 37 minutes when a mix-up between Consett keeper Mark Foden and Milburn saw Lee Shaw nip in, but his lobbed effort bounced wide of the far post.

On 42 minutes Consett had another chance to level when Barlow was pushed over right on the edge of the box. He took the resulting free-kick himself, but his left-footed effort narrowly cleared the crossbar, pictured below.

A minute before the break Grantham doubled their lead. A quick break saw Shaw crash a shot against the bar, and left-back Joe Stacey reacted to the rebound quickest to fire home.

Being 2-0 down at half-time left the Steelmen with a mountain to climb, but for the first quarter of an hour of the second half they gave it a real go.

Fenwick hit a rising 25-yarder over the top, Nathan Greenwood had one shot, pictured below, saved and another blocked, and Matty Slocombe fired inches wide from 25 yards.

Again the misses would come back to haunt Consett, as they conceded again in the 77th minute to kill any hope of a comeback. A corner from the left saw Foden’s punch fall straight to Ashton Hall, who smashed it back past him on the volley.

There was no way back from that, and the defeat means it’s now eight games since Consett won a game, picking up just three points out of the last 24.

Wins for Lincoln United and Shildon reduced Consett’s cushion between their 14th place and the relegation play-off places to just one point, though they can take slight solace from the fact that Brighouse Town and Carlton Town – who we face in our final two away games – both lost today.

Tadcaster Albion, who lost 2-0 at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels, are relegated.

  • Full match report and more pictures to follow.
long eaton

Consett’s problems pile up after a home defeat by in-form Long Eaton United

Consett slumped to their third defeat in their last four games at the hands of the division’s most in-form side.

Long Eaton United had won their last five games, and made it six in a row with a convincing win at a chilly Belle View.

Manager Tony Fawcett was again without a host of players, even though he welcomed back Ross Coombe, Josh Baggs and Jake Orrell.

With Mark Foden joining Calvin Smith and Matty Slocombe on the sidelines through suspension, and Charlie Exley added to a long-term injury list which already included Kieren Aplin, Zak Atkinson, Karl Byrne and Mark McLeod, the Steelmen were again missing eight players.

This meant places on the bench for two new signings, the unattached Henry Dorward, who has previously played for Whitley Bay and Sunderland RCA, and Nathan Lawrence, who’s rejoined Consett for a third spell from RCA.

The visitors started well, and their top scorer Jamie Walker had a chance to put them ahead on three minutes after beating the offside trap, but was denied by a fine double save by Coombe.

On-loan Blyth Spartans midfielder Danny Barlow almost gave Consett the lead on seven minutes when Jake Orrell’s pass sent him through on goal, but Sam Wilson saved at his feet, pictured top.

A minute later the keeper denied Barlow again when he cut in from the right and fired goalwards, saving down low at his near post.

Long Eaton took the lead on 10 minutes when wing-back Ashaiah Fearon, on loan from Notts County, flicked the ball on for Tom Cursons, who ran through on goal, despite strong Consett appeals for handball, and slotted home.

Consett suffered a big blow on 18 minutes when Dan Capewell, one of their outstanding players this season, limped off with a hamstring injury.

Consett centre-back Dan Capewell goes down with a hamstring injury.

The reshuffle which followed saw skipper Arjun Purewal move from left-back to centre-back, Adam Mitchell switch from midfield to left-back, and Dorward come into the middle for his debut.

On 21 minutes Long Eaton went close to doubling their lead when Fearon cut in from the right and got off a show which hit the outside of the post.

Seven minutes later they were awarded a free-kick 22 yards out and Tom Marshall sent a curling effort not too far wide of the left-hand post.

Two minutes before the break Jake Orrell had a chance for Consett, but Wilson made a comfortable save down low, and right on half-time Mitchell’s cross from the left found Dorward, who couldn’t steer his header on target.

Half-time: Consett 0 Long Eaton United 1

Consett’s teenage striker Oscar Taylor had looked an isolated figure up front at times, so it was little surprise when Scott Fenwick, despite not being fully fit, came on for the second half in place of midfielder Daniel Smith.

Five minutes into the second half the Steelmen had a chance to level when excellent work by Orrell saw him get to the byline and set up Taylor, but the No 9’s flicked effort was blocked, as was Fenwick’s follow-up.

It was a bright start to the half, but on 58 minutes it was 2-0 to Long Eaton when Cursons drilled the ball across goal from the left for Alex Marshall to finish from close range.

Mitchell had a chance to score his first goal for the club just before the hour when he arrived late at the back post, but was leaning back as he struck his shot and it ballooned over the bar.

A few minutes later Dorward had a chance to make his mark when he was played in, but he shot straight at the keeper from 20 yards when he maybe had time to take a touch and get closer to goal.

Henry Dorward had a chance to make his mark on his debut.

Long Eaton were making plenty of half-chances, and sub Jack Rogers had a clear opportunity to increase their lead on 71 minutes, but screwed his effort wide.

Orrell was at the centre of most of Consett’s good moves, and on 75 minutes his cross picked out Fenwick, but the big striker was stretching to meet the ball, and headed just over the bar.

Three minutes later Long Eaton ended any faint hopes of a Consett comeback when they scored a third goal. The home side failed to deal with Larell King’s long throw, and Ashaiah Fearon lashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Consett’s response was to throw on another substitute, with Reserves captain Kieran Scott coming on for Taylor for his first-team debut.

Consett Reserves captain Kieran Scott made his first-team debut.

And although Consett huffed and puffed, with the impressive Barlow firing into the side netting from 20 yards, they couldn’t muster a consolation goal to give the final scoreline a less brutal look.

What they did pick up was a last-minute yellow card for Ben Milburn, which takes him to 10 bookings for the season and a two-game suspension.

bridlington

Consett pay the price for defensive lapses as they are beaten at home by Bridlington

Consett were the better side for the third time in three meetings with Bridlington Town today – and for the third time they tasted defeat.

The Seasiders, who needed a last-minute goal on the final day of last season to avoid relegation, took their chances when it mattered to leave Belle View with a 3-2 win – the same scoreline by which they won at Consett in the FA Cup the previous season.

The Steelmen made a positive start to the game, and had a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside on 10 minutes, but two minutes later the visitors took the lead. Mark Broadley picked up the ball in midfield and beat a couple of men before firing into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.

Consett enjoyed a lot of possession as the half wore on, forcing a series of corners and creating a few half-chances, and few could argue that they deserved their equaliser in the 42nd minute.

After some good work down the left by Evan Horwood he slipped the ball to Jake Orrell, whose pinpoint cross picked out Zak Atkinson to head home from 10 yards for his fourth goal of the season, pictured below.

Consett striker Zak Atkinson wheels away after his header made it 1-1. Pic: Kenny Taylor.

The score remained 1-1 at half-time, though Consett had a let-off in injury time when a header from Jack Bulless was cleared by Ben Milburn, with Bridlington claiming it had crossed the line.

Consett started the second half on the front foot, and in the 49th minute Orrell brought the best save of the game from keeper James Hitchcock, when he unleashed a well-struck effort from 25 yards.

Bridlington took the lead for the second time on 77 minutes when Consett keeper Mark Foden came for a left-wing corner through a crowd of bodies but couldn’t reach the ball, leaving Jack Bulless with a simple header to make it 2-1.

Six minutes later it was 3-1, and again Foden came under scrutiny. Coming for another corner, this time he reached the ball, but his punch was weak and fell straight to right-back Benn Lewis, who fired it straight back past him to put Town in the driving seat.

Substitute Declan Bisset gave Consett hope in the 89th minute when his 25-yarder from Atkinson’s knockdown beat the keeper with the help of a big deflection off a defender, pictured below.

Declan Bisset’s late goal makes it 2-3 and gives Consett hope. Pic: Stephen Finch.

The game ended in controversy when, with five minutes of time added and Consett pushing hard for an equaliser, Hitchcock claimed he’d been kicked in the head by the following-in Kieren Aplin.

The Consett man protested his innocence, but the referee decided it was a yellow card, and precious seconds were wasted by the keeper’s flagrant time-wasting.

When the final whistle went the keeper’s over-the-top celebrations in front of supporters behind the goal did nothing to endear him to the Consett faithful.

This and other results saw Bridlington leapfrog Consett to go fourth in the table, while the Steelmen dropped three places to sixth, just outside the play-off positions.

  • Full match report and more pictures HERE.