Consett missed the chance to go top of NPL Division One East as they suffered a first league defeat of the season to a well-drilled Pontefract Collieries side, who recorded a fifth successive win.
Continue reading “Consett miss chance to go top of the league after losing at home to Pontefract Collieries”
Consett treated their supporters to a Friday night football feast with their best performance of the season so far tonight, beating league leaders Hebburn Town 3-0 at a misty, wet Belle View.
Continue reading “Consett bounce back from cup exits with excellent win over league leaders Hebburn”
Consett were knocked out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle today as a severely depleted side suffered a 6-2 defeat by Bootle on Merseyside.
Manager Tony Fawcett was missing seven players, and was forced to give 20-year-old Reserves goalkeeper Cieran Ure his first-team debut at the Berry Street Garage Stadium.
And although they were in the game for an hour, it was a well-beaten side who trudged off at the end.
It might have all been so different if a Consett ‘goal’ in the seventh minute had been allowed to stand, as Scott Fenwick, pictured below, volleyed home from Ben Ramsey’s excellent left-wing cross, only to be ruled offside.
Bootl took the lead on 36 minutes after a close-range finish by debutant Bailey Thompson, who was set up by Andy Scarisbrick after a mistake in the visiting backline.
A tight game with nothing to choose between the sides remained 1-0 at half-time, with little to suggest the avalanche of goals which would follow in the second half.
On 49 minutes Ramsey’s cross-shot clipped the underside of the bar and bounced to safety, and two minutes later Bootle keeper Sam Ashton made a vital save from Wil Shaw, getting a strong hand to his well-struck effort.
Consett levelled in the 55th minute when Jack Gibbons floated in a lovely free-kick from the right and Dan Capewell powered home a header for his first competitive goal of the season, pictured below.
But disaster struck just three minutes later when Gibbons fouled Mason Fawns in the box, and Owen Robinson stepped up to restore Bootle’s lead from the penalty spot.
Fenwick almost replied immediately with a header by Fenwick from Zak Atkinson’s cross, but it was off target, so it was a big blow as some poor defending on 63 minutes allowed Bootle sub Sam Burns an easy finish to make it 3-1.
On 72 minutes Bootle scored again, with right-back Ethen Vaughan stealing in at the back post to convert a deep cross.
Dan Capewell gave Consett slim hopes of an unlikely comeback, firing home from a few yards in the 85th minute, pictured top, after Ramsey and Jake Orrell both had efforts saved.
The hobbling Capewell, who’d been pushed up front, had another chance to set up a grandstand finish, headed just wide from another free-kick, but it was Bootle who scored again in the first minute of added time.
Consett backed off Andy Scarisbrick and allowed him to smash a screamer into the top corner in the first minute of added time.
To add insult to injury, the home side scored again in the 94th minute, with Andy Scarisbrick taking advantage of a mistake by Ure to make it 6-2 with the last kick of the game.
Consett’s six-game unbeaten start to the season came to an end today when they were knocked out of the FA Cup, losing 2-0 to Bradford Park Avenue at Belle View Stadium.
The visitors are in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League, having just been relegated from the National League North last season.
They made their class count in a close game where they scored a goal in each half, but Consett, from a division below, pushed them all the way.
After a tight opening spell, the Steelmen had a good chance on 24 minutes when a corner from the right found centre-back Dan Capewell, but Bradford keeper George Sykes-Kenworthy saved his header at point-blank range, pictured below.
A minute later the visitors were ahead when Will Calligan’s pass found Brad Dockerty, whose shot beat home keeper James Anderson at his near post.
Capewell had another chance right at the end of the half, but put his diving header wide of the far post, pictured below.
Consett took the game to the higher-ranked side in the second half, with Capewell and Scott Fenwick both sending headers over the crossbar.
Their best chance of an equaliser came on 75 minutes when Arjun Purewal thumped a header against the bar from a couple of yards with the keeper beaten, pictured top.
Bradford wrapped up the win with a breakaway goal in added time when Consett got caught pushing forward, and Zak Kersey set up fellow sub Myles Las Bastide to score.
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.
Consett are in Monday’s draw for the next round of the Emirates FA Cup after a comfortable 3-0 win over Penrith today at a blustery Belle View.
With work to install a new 3G pitch being done on their ground, the Cumbrians conceded home advantage, and the Steelmen made it count in the Preliminary Round tie.
Wil Shaw opened the scoring in the ninth minute with his first competitive goal for the club, taking down a pass from Ben Ramsey and turning his man before firing into the bottom corner, pictured top.
Zak Atkinson had two good chances to increase the lead, but miscued the first, and saw the second cleared off the line at point-blank range by Penrith defender Matty Story.
The Steelmen led 1-0 at half-time, and although Penrith were defending stubbornly, they rarely threatened the Consett goal.
Just before the hour Consett doubled their lead when Kaleb Young won the ball in midfield and slipped a perfect through ball to Ben Ramsey, who homed in on goal before finishing for his second FA Cup goal of the season, pictured below.
Dan Capewell and Ramsey had chances to put the result beyond doubt, but Consett had to wait until the first of three added minutes before giving the scoreline a more comprehensive look.
Jake Orrell’s pass to the right wing saw Atkinson deliver a perfect cross for sub Nathan Greenwood to head home his first goal of the season from six yards, pictured below.
Asked who he wants in Monday’s 1st Qualifying Round draw, Consett manager Tony Fawcett said: “Anyone at home.”
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.
Consett won their latest pre-season friendly in style tonight, beating Tow Law Town 8-0 in a game switched to Belle View at short notice.
Tony Fawcett’s team scored four goals in each half, with striker Scott Fenwick, pictured top, grabbing his first-ever hat-trick for the club.
Consett took almost half an hour to open the scoring in the previous week’s friendly between the two sides. Tonight it took just nine minutes, as Ben Ramsey’s deep corner was headed in at the far post by Scott Fenwick.
On 15 minutes it was 2-0, from another Ramsey flag-kick. This time his corner was headed back across goal by Zak Atkinson, and Dan Capewell nodded home from six yards.
Three minutes later Atkinson turned provider again, playing a super ball in from the right which Scott Fenwick finished first-time from 12 yards to make it 3-0.
Tow Law’s keeper made a good save to deny Ramsey, but there was nothing he could do about Consett’s fourth goal in the 32nd minute, as Jack Gibbons slotted in his first goal for the club, despite the efforts of a defender on the line.
Three minutes into the second half Scott Fenwick completed his hat-trick, firing into the roof of the net from six yards after another excellent Atkinson set-up.
A flurry of substitutions around the hour mark saw the game lost some of its flow, but Consett extended their lead on 72 minutes when Adam Mitchell’s ball over the top put Jack Gibbons through on goal and he rounded the keeper to make it 6-0.
Four minutes later Wil Shaw made it 7-0 when he collected the ball 25 yards out, beat his man and blasted home from the edge of the box.
The scoring was completed in the 86th minute when a Mitchell cross from the left was spilled by the keeper into the path of Kaleb Young, who had a simple tap-in for his second goal in successive games.
Consett’s final friendly is on Saturday, 29 July, when they take on Alnwick Town at Belle View Stadium, with a 3pm kick-off. Admission is the normal pre-season prices of £7/£5/£3.
Consett returned to winning ways as they beat near-neighbours Tow Law Town 5-1 at Belle View Stadium in tonight’s hastily-arranged pre-season friendly.
The Lawyers stepped in at the 11th hour after our originally scheduled opponents, Newcastle Benfield, pulled out this afternoon, saying they were unable to field a side.
And a young visiting side, including several teenagers, acquitted themselves well, despite the margin of defeat.
It took Consett until the 28th minute to find a way past them, when Arjun Purewal rose highest to head home from Jake Orrell’s left-wing corner, pictured top.
Calvin Smith almost made it two in the 35th minute from Purewal’s cross, but was denied by a superb save from Kyle Seymour in the Tow Law goal.
On 39 minutes the Steelmen did double their lead when an underhit backpass left Wil Shaw in on goal, and he finishing confidently for his third goal of pre-season.
Two minutes into the second half it was 3-0, when half-time substitute Zak Atkinson flicked the ball on to Calvin Smith, who made no mistake from six yards.
Ten minutes later it was 4-0, as Consett recycled possession from a corner, and Orrell’s inch-perfect cross picked out Dan Capewell, who buried a header into the far corner.
Shaw almost made it five when he tried a dinky chip after cutting in from the left, but it bounced on top of the bar and our.
Tow Law’s heads didn’t drop, however, and it took a fine save from Consett keeper Aaron Steavens to deny them a consolation goal on 69 minutes.
A minute later they got their reward for their perseverance when the referee spotted an infringement from the resulting corner, and skipper Brandon Mallaburn made it 4-1 from the spot.
The last goal came with the last kick of the game when Shaw flicked on a long ball for Ben Ramsey to run onto, and finish right-footed past sub keeper James Barron.
Consett’s next pre-season game is on Saturday 22 July, when they host West Yorkshire club Silsden, who play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, Kick-off at Belle View Stadium is 3pm.
Consett suffered their first defeat of their pre-season campaign when they were beaten 1-0 by West Auckland Town at a soggy Belle View Stadium this afternoon.
After wins in their first two games against Boro Rangers and Shildon, the Steelmen were hoping to make it three in a row against Northern League opposition.
But West, who will start the season as one of the Northern League’s promotion favourites, had other ideas, and frustrated their hosts for long spells before snatching a late win.
Consett had a big penalty shout in the eighth minute when the lively Wil Shaw seemed to have his heels clipped by a defender, but the referee was having none of it.
Shaw had a chance on 10 minutes when he ran on to Zak Atkinson’s knock-on, but the West keeper was off his line quickly to thwart him, pictured top.
On 17 minutes Consett had their first real attempt on goal when defender Ryan McKinnon let fly from 30 yards, which the West keeper did well to tip over.
On the half-hour fellow centre-back Dan Capewell had the keeper scrambling across his goal, but his header from a left-wing cross dropped just wide.
Half-time was reached with the game scoreless, but West started the second half brighter, and on 57 minutes Consett made wholesale changes, bringing on six substitutes.
They hadn’t had a chance to settle into the game when West had a chance to take the lead, when Jordan Blinco ran through on goal, but Aaraon Steavens did well to save.
The let-off spurred a good Consett reaction as Calvin Smith saw a 25-yarder pushed away by the West keeper, and then good work by a trialist striker set up Adam Mitchell, who fired wide from a similar distance.
The Steelmen just couldn’t find a way through the West defence, however, and the visitors snatched a winner on 81 minutes when ex-Consett player Lee Hume cut the ball back for Cieran Jackson to finish from close range.
Consett’s next friendly is on Tuesday 18 July, when they entertain Newcastle Benfield at Belle View Stadium, kick-off 7.30pm.
