Tag: ben milburn

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.