Tag: Darren Holden

shildon

Consett pick up their first Northern Premier League away win with a fine performance at Shildon

Consett picked up their first three points on their travels since joining the Northern Premier League tonight when they won 3-1 at Shildon.

Dean Street was seldom a happy hunting ground for the Steelmen when we were Northern League rivals with the Railwaymen – but they fully deserved the points after a fine performance.

Darren Holden got Consett off to a perfect start, giving them the lead after just five minutes, smashing a shot in off the bar from Cyril Giraud’s pass.

On 10 minutes it could have been 2-0, but Shildon keeper Matthew Bateman pulled off a great save to deny Jake Orrell after a poor defensive header landed at his feet.

On 27 minutes Consett did double their lead when a corner was half-cleared to Orrell, whose cross found Dan Capewell, who glanced in a header at the back post.

The visitors were rampant, and Zak Atkinson was inches away from getting on the end of a cross to the back post, while Lewis Green saw a shot deflected just wide after good work by Giraud.

It was the 37th minute before Shildon troubled the Consett goal, and when they did keeper Mark Foden made a good low save to deny Jon Weirs.

But it was the visitors who came closest to adding to the scoreline when Capewell bulleted a header goalwards from a right-wing corner, but Bateman made a good reaction save on the line.

It remained 2-0 at half-time, and Consett picked up in the second half where they had left off, with great play between Karl Byrne and Colin Larkin – making his first appearance of the season – setting up Orrell, whose shot was blocked.

Atkinson was inches away from connecting with a spectacular diving header, and on 54 minutes Consett could have been out of sight when Byrne’s beautiful lofted pass sent Giraud through, but he fired narrowly wide.

Shildon received a lifeline on 72 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a Capewell foul on sub Wilson Kneeshaw, but Foden made a fine save, diving low to his left.

On 79 minutes the home side did find a way back into the game when right-back Joe Posthill saw his initial shot well saved by Foden, but followed in to score from the rebound and make it 2-1.

A minute later Consett had a chance to restore their two-goal lead when Orrell’s pass found Larkin a few yards out, but he didn’t connect properly and a defender got back to clear the ball off the line.

But they were in no mood to let this game slip, and secured the points in the 87th minute when Darren Holden’s left-wing corner seemed to be punched into his own goal by keeper Matthew Bateman, with Dan Capewell following in to make sure, pictured top.

When the final whistle went it was a well-earned three points for Consett, who controlled the game from start to finish, and could and perhaps should have won even more convincingly.

The healthy travelling contingent in the crowd of 326 would certainly settle for a repeat performance on Saturday, when the sides meet again at Dean Street in the FA Trophy, kick off 3pm.

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Consett starting to get into their stride as they hit Carlton Town for five

Consett recorded an excellent Northern Premier League win today against Carlton Town, who headed home from Belle View Stadium on the wrong end of a 5-0 drubbing.

The visitors from Nottinghamshire finished sixth in the NPL Division One Midlands last season before being switched by the FA to the East division in the summer.

They must have wished they’d stayed there after coming up against a Consett team who are really starting to find their feet in their new surroundings.

Lewis Green set the Steelmen on their way in the 20th with a crisp volleyed finish, pictured below, from Darren Holden’s left-wing cross.

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On 26 minutes the lead was doubled when Karl Byrne ‘s pass sent Kieren Aplin running through, and despite the attentions of a defender he finished from 15 yards to make it 2-0, pictured below.

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Consett keeper Ross Coombe made an important save in the 57th minute, to deny visiting skipper Nathan Watson and deny the Millers a lifeline back into the game.

Four minutes later the points were as good as Consett’s when Carlton left-back Niall Hylton handled on the goal-line and was shown a straight red card.

The penalty was neatly tucked away by striker Zak Atkinson, pictured below, who again led the line superbly, never giving the visiting defence a moment’s rest.

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Most teams would have been happy with three, but not this Consett side. On 88 minutes Declan Bisset scored his first goal for the club to make it 4-0, with a neat finish, pictured below, from sub Dan Marriott’s pass.

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And in the last minute of stoppage time the outstanding Lewis Green made it 5-0, slotting home a precision finish into the bottom corner, pictured below, from another Marriott set up.

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It was an excellent win, which could have been even more emphatic, and made it four games without defeat in the Northern premier league.

  • Full match report and more pictures to follow.

Next up for Consett is a tasty Bank Holiday Monday trip to our old Northern League friends and rivals Dunston. Kick off at the UTS Stadium is 3pm.

pontefract

Consett pick up an excellent away point with a battling performance at Pontefract Collieries

Consett picked up their first away point in the Northern Premier League tonight after surviving a 90-minute aerial bombardment at Pontefract Collieries.

In a hard-fought game featuring eight cautions, Jake Orrell gave Consett the lead with his second goal in four days midway through the first half.

The Steelmen defended for their lives, but the home side’s incessant long-ball tactics eventually paid off when Adam Priestley levelled in the 69th minute.

Consett should have taken the lead in the ninth minute when Zak Atkinson was played in on goal, but saw his shot saved by Lloyd Allinson. The ball rebounded back to the No 9, but his follow-up was also saved by the keeper.

On 13 minutes Consett had the ball in the Pontefract net when Atkinson headed home from Kieren Aplin’s left-wing cross, but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside.

On 22 minutes the Steelmen took the lead with a fine move. Byrne played the ball down the line to Holden, whose cross picked out Jake Orrell’s run into the box, and he finished first time past Lloyd Allinson to make it 1-0, pictured top.

On the half hour Consett had a narrow escape as James Baxendale hit a cross-shot against the bar, and there was an even closer call when the ball seemed to hit skipper Matty Slocombe’s hand as he blocked a shot, but again the referee was unmoved.

Ross Coombe made a string of fine saves for Consett, and their defence stood firm until the 69th minute, when Dan Capewell, who’d been magnificent all night, missed a long punt downfield from the keeper. Gavin Allott flicked on and Adam Priestley ran through and scored on the half-volley to make it 1-1.

In previous seasons Consett might have crumbled under the sort of pressure they faced here, but this side is made of sterner stuff, and when the final whistle blew they had earned a very good away point.

  • Full match report and more pictures HERE.
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Consett draw at Liversedge in their final pre-season friendly

Consett came from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw at Liversedge in a proverbial games of two halves in their final pre-season friendly.

The West Yorkshire side, who won the Northern Premier League Division One East last season, scoed twice in the first half.

But an improved second-half performance saw the Steelmen score twice in the last quarter of the game to claim a draw.

Liversedge took the lead in the 20th minute with the first real chance of the game. A corner came in from the left and big centre-back Jack Steers rose highest in the penalty area to head into the top corner.

Consett were finding it hard to create much against big, well-drilled opponents, and the home side doubled their lead in the 40th minute. Keeper Mark Foden made a good save from Wilson, but Jack Steers was first to the rebound to notch his second goal of the game.

Two minutes later it should have been three when the trialist No 17 turned his man superbly and teed up Wilson, but the No 11 somehow missed the target with the goal at his mercy.

Consett made two changes for the second half, bringing on Darren Holden and Ben Milburn for Kieren Aplin and Mark McLeod, and they grew into the game, though Foden made a good save with his feet from a Liversedge sub to keep them in it.

Consett got a goal back in the 68th minute when Declan Bisset hit a hopeful effort towards the back post which looked like a cross rather than a shot, but it dipped over the keeper and ended up in the far corner.

On 80 minutes Holden whipped in a great cross from the left and when it was only half cleared, Cyril Giraud was on hand to fire home from the edge of the box.

Four minutes from the end Consett had the chance to pull off an unlikely win whern another Holden cross picked out Matty Slocombe, whose volleyed effort went to Dan Marriott, who couldn’t turn it in.

Attention now turns to next Saturday, when Consett’s season kicks off in earnest when they travel to Goole in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup, kick off 3pm.

A limited number of places are available on the official club coach to the game, priced £20, on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact 01207 588886 or call in at the club to book – seats must be paid for in advance.

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Consett beat Whitley Bay to make it three pre-season wins in a row

Consett made it three pre-season wins in a row over Northern League opposition tonight as they beat Whitley Bay 2-0 in their latest friendly.

The Seahorses have recruited well under Nick Grey, who took over as manager midway through last season, but the Steelmen scored a goal in each half to claim the win, and a third successive clean sheet.

Andy Coyles’ side have already beaten Birtley Town 8-0 and Northallerton Town 2-0, after losing 4-2 at Berwick Rangers in their first warm-up game.

Zak Atkinson had already had a goal disallowed for offside when Darren Holden gave Consett the lead on 25 minutes, firing home right-footed, pictured top, after a great through ball by Declan Bisset.

Two minutes before the break Bisset looked certain to get his name on the scoresheet when he met a cross from Dan Marriott, but put his header inches wide.

On 56 minutes Marriott almost doubled Consett’s lead with a deft header from Adam Mitchell’s cross, but Bay keeper Dan Lister clawed the ball away.

But he was powerless to stop the hosts make it 2-0 a minute later, with the roles reversed from the first half, as Holden’s right-wing corner picked out Declan Bisset to head home at the far post to make it 2-0.

The usual rash of substitutions saw the game lose some of its momentum in the second half, but the teams served up an entertaining match for the crowd of 203.

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Consett suffer semi-final heartache at Ashington – and a double blow to their play-off hopes

A brave second-half comeback by 10-man Consett came to nothing tonight when they were beaten 4-3 at Ashington in the semi-final of the Division One Cup.

Trailing 3-1 at half-time, they got the score back to 3-3 despite having Calvin Smith sent off, and were within six minutes of taking the tie to a penalty shoot-out.

But they shot themselves in the foot by conceding a poor goal straight from the restart, and had Darren Holden sent off after the final whistle.

The red cards means Smith and Holden will both be suspended from the one-off promotion play-off on Saturday 30 April, leaving manager Andy Coyles with an almighty headache and a severely-depleted squad.

Ashington took the lead after just five minutes, when Kyle Hayes fumbled a corner and big centre-back Ben Harmison bundled the ball home from point-blank range.

Three minutes later the Steelmen were level, after David Dowson’s knockdown to Carl Lawson, who fired in off the post to make it 1-1.

Hayes saved well from Robert-Lee Taylor on 19 minutes, but there was nothing he could do two minutes later when Lawson lost his man and Jordan Summerly finished low past the keeper for 2-1.

Lawson almost grabbed a second equaliser a minute later, but saw his shot cleared off the line by a defender, and the visitors were made to pay on 24 minutes when Ashington scored again.

Smith gave the ball away as Consett passed their way out from the back, and the Colliers’ top scorer Dean Briggs drove at the makeshift defence to fire past Hayes and make it 3-1.

Colin Larkin went close to reducing the arrears five minutes before half-time when he chested the ball down 25 yards out and fired into the side netting, but it was a second-best Consett team who headed into the dressing rooms at the break.

Ashington were backed by a vociferous crowd who were appealing for every decision, real and otherwise, and they demanded a red card for a Jake Orrell foul on 55 minutes, but the referee decided yellow was sufficient.

Three minutes later they got their wish when Calvin Smith was shown a straight red card for a challenge which many onlookers thought had won the ball.

Consett now had a mountain to climb, but bringing on strikers Scott Heslop and Dale Pearson for David Dowson and Luke Carr injected fresh energy into their attacking play.

They were indebted to Hayes for keeping them in the game on 65 minutes with a superb double save, but on 73 minutes they were right back in it when Scott Heslop bulleted in a header from Orrell’s corner.

On 83 minutes Consett’s endeavours were rewarded when home right-back Liam Doyle wrestled Pearson to the ground, pictured top, and the referee awarded a penalty, which was despatched by Colin Larkin to make it 3-3.

Incredibly, within 60 seconds Consett’s fightback was in vain when, straight from the kick off, they failed to deal with a surging run from the halfway line, and when the ball fell to ex-Steelman Dean Briggs he fired home what turned out to be the winner.

If such late heartache wasn’t bad enough, Holden – Consett’s only fit defender – was red-carded after the final whistle for something he said to the referee, which rules him out of the promotion play-off.

With almost an entire XI currently unavailable, the Steelmen’s chances of playing in the Northern Premier League next season appear to be receding rapidly.

But before the one-off away game against as-yet unknown opponents there’s the small matter of completing our Northern League fixtures this Saturday, with a home game against Ashington, kick-off 3pm.

  • Full match report, stats and more pictures to follow.

penrith

Consett suffer a huge blow as they’re beaten in their final away game of the season at Penrith

Consett’s hopes of a first-ever Northern League title are hanging by a thread after the last away game of the season ended in a 2-1 defeat at Penrith today.

Andy Coyles’ team needed a win at his former club to keep the pressure on second-placed North Shields, who have four games in hand over the leaders.

But for the second weekend in a row the Steelmen threw away the lead to suffer a disappointing defeat, and the gap at the top has now closed to three points after North Shields won.

Consett took the lead at in the 24th minute at Frenchfield Park when Scott Heslop played the ball off Penrith skipper Grant Davidson and a huge deflection, pictured top, gave keeper Arran Taylor no chance.

Heslop limped off in the 36th minute, to be replaced by David Dowson, and the sub had a chance almost immediately from Darren Holden’s pass, but couldn’t get a clean shot away, pictured below.

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David Dowson had a chance to increase Consett’s lead just after coming on as sub. Pic: Gary Welford.

Holden himself then had two decent opportunities to increase Consett’s lead before the break, but missed both, and it remained 1-0 at half-time.

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Darren Holden’s dinked effort beat the Penrith keeper but went wide. Pic: Gary Welford.

Five minutes into the second half Jake Orrell had Consett’s best chance of the game when Dowson flicked on Nick Cassidy’s free-kick, but the No 10 was denied from close range by the keeper.

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Jake Orrell was denied by the Penrith keeper early in the second half. Pic: Gary Welford.

It was a big save, as the Cumbrians – in desperate need of points for their relegation fight – equalised in the 63rd minute, when Alfie Brunskill took advantage of a defensive error to fire home.

With news filtering through that title rivals North Shields were beating Guisborough 4-2, Consett needed a goal, but when it came in the 88th minute the matchwinning strike was at the other end.

Jamie Armstrong picked out Davidson with a right-wing corner, and although Consett keeper Kyle Hayes made a good save from the centre-back’s powerful header, Luke Brown reacted quickest to the loose ball to smash home the winner from close range, pictured below.

No 6 Luke Brown (left) smashes home Penrith’s late winner. Pic: Gary Welford.

Consett now need to win their final two home league games, against in-form Northallerton Town and seventh-placed Ashington, to give themselves any hope of the championship.

North Shields have now completed their home fixtures, and end the season with six consecutive away games, starting at Thornaby on Wednesday.

Consett take a break from league action by hosting West Auckland in the Division One Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, but could be toppled as leaders for the first time since September 1 by the time they next kick a ball in Division One.

  • Full match report, stats and more pictures to follow.
redcar

Redcar deal another blow to Consett’s title hopes after completing league double over them

Consett lost the inaugural ‘Steel Cup’ today – but more importantly saw their lead at the top of the Northern League cut to six points by a 2-1 defeat at Redcar Athletic.

It was the same scoreline by which the newly-promoted Teessiders won at Belle View three weeks ago, giving them a league double over their fellow Steelmen after our first-ever meetings.

The result tips the balance of the championship race in favour of our closest rivals North Shields, who beat Penrith 5-0, and now have 65 points to our 71, but with four games in hand.

The opening exchanges were tense, and Consett had the first real chance midway through the half when defender Matty Ridley had a header from a corner cleared off the line.

A minute later No 9 Scott Heslop looked certain to score when a Lewis Green pass sent him clear on goal, but he put his effort high and wide.

Consett did take the lead on 27 minutes, when Darren Holden’s long throw was chested down by Heslop, and James Martin fired home from 15 yards.

But the home side were level within a minute when dangerman Isaac Walker, who scored the winner at Belle View, cut in from the left and struck a shot which took a deflection which sent the ball looping over goalkeeper Ross Coombe.

Luke Carr had an effort deflected wide as Consett sought to regain the lead, and Coombe then saved well from Walker, so it remained 1-1 at half-time.

A penalty shootout between supporters during the break saw Consett triumph 4-3, with keeper Peter Lockeron saving three kicks and Sam Martin slamming home the decisive kick.

But it was Redcar who took the initiative when the game resumed, and Isaac Walker beat his man and fired in a dipping effort to make it 2-1 to the home side on 55 minutes.

Consett rang the changes, bringing on three substitutes in a bid to get back into the game, and one of them, David Dowson, pictured top, almost equalised on 77 minutes, but saw his 20-yarder come back off the base of the post.

That was as near as the visitors got to finding an equaliser, and it was a dispirited league leaders who trooped off the field as news of North Shields’ win filtered through.

  • Full match report, stats and more pictures to follow.

north shields

Consett’s top-two showdown at North Shields ends in a stalemate

Consett’s Division One game at North Shields, billed by many as a Northern League title decider, ended in a goalless stalemate tonight at the Daren Persson Stadium.

With the visitors 9 points clear of their hosts before kick-off, but the Robins having four games in hand, it was certainly a game which could have had a big bearing on the destination of the championship.

A Consett win would mean matters were back in their own hands, while a North Shields victory would have handed them a big advantage.

It was a game neither side wanted to lose, but nobody did enough to win it either, and the outcome was a 0-0 draw in front of a tense 569 crowd.

The first attempt on goal didn’t arrive until the 30th minute, when Shields centre-back Jack Walker’s header was gathered easily by Consett keeper Kyle Hayes.

At the other end, Calvin Smith had an effort easily saved, while Scott Heslop headed a half chance wide, as the two teams largely cancelled each other out.

The main talking point of the first half was the referee’s decision not to send off Shields midfielder Cam Cunningham for what appeared to be a stamp on Matty Slocombe, showing just a yellow card instead.

The game briefly burst into life around the hour mark, when Calvin Smith was well-placed to clear David Robinson’s header off the line, and Cunningham fired the loose ball just over the bar.

At the other end Darren Holden’s excellent cross from the left created Consett’s best chance of the game, but Heslop’s weak header was straight at the keeper.

Shields made a big penalty appeal as top scorer Dan Wilson went to ground, but the decision was a free-kick the other way.

On 75 minutes Consett brought on David Dowson, who has just re-signed after leaving West Auckland, and within a minute he had been booked for what Shields claimed was an elbow on Walker.

Even five minutes of added time at the end of the game wasn’t enough for either side to find a goal, but everyone in the bumper crowd seemed to agree that a draw was a fair result.