Tag: michael mackay

On this day: 29 November 2013 – Consett get off to a winning start at their new home by beating Spennymoor

Consett played their first competitive fixture at their new Belle View Stadium on this day in 2013, and marked the occasion with an excellent 2-1 win against Northern League front-runners Spennymoor Town.

Continue reading “On this day: 29 November 2013 – Consett get off to a winning start at their new home by beating Spennymoor”

On this day: 23 November 2011 – Mackay grabs a 20-minute hat-trick as Consett make cup progress against Northallerton

Michael Mackay’s first-half hat-trick – his second treble of the season – set Consett on the way to a comfortable passage into the 3rd Round of the League Cup on this day in 2011.

But they took their foot off the pedal after cruising into a 4-0 interval lead at Belle Vue Park, and their 2nd Division opponents headed home with some pride restored after refusing to roll over, and making a game of it in the second half.

Manager Kenny Lindoe made one change to the starting XI which had beaten Ramsbottom United 4-2 in the FA Vase four days earlier, with David Brown coming in at left-back in place of injured skipper Carl Piecha, with Anthony Lund again filling in at centre-half.

Northallerton gave early notice that they weren’t going to be a pushover, and their skipper, midfielder Martin Butterworth, had the game’s first chance, hitting a shot from the edge of the box which was a comfortable enough save for Barry Poskett in the Consett goal.

The home side took 10 minutes to create anything worthwhile, and when they did it took a good save from Town keeper Stephen Craggs to prevent them taking the lead.

Harrison Davies, playing wide on the right, played a one-two with Marc Walton and curled a fine shot towards the bottom-left corner, which looked like it might beat Craggs, but the keeper was equal to it, pushing it to safety.

Sadly for Northallerton, their No 1 was at fault a minute later for the opening goal of the game, making a hash of Michael Mackay‘s 25-yarder and having to pick it out of his net as a result.

A long punt forward by Poskett then saw Walton execute a perfect chest pass to Davies, who was marauding down the right. He got almost to the byline before putting in a dangerous cross-shot which was kicked off the line by a defender before anyone in a red shirt could apply the finishing touch.

Consett didn’t have to wait long for goal No 2, which came from a trademark finish by Mackay, pictured top, on 18 minutes. He was sent clear by an excellent pass into the left-hand channel, drew the keeper and slotted home in the style of old to put Consett firmly in control.

Harrison Davies was at the heart of most of Consett’s best attacks. Pic: John Paul Hardy.

Davies was at the heart of most of Consett’s attacking play, and he teed up Jamie Poole with a teasing cross which was headed just wide of the right-hand post, but on 31 minutes Mackay completed his second hat-trick of the season, taking his tally to 25 in all competitions, and again it was down to a goalkeeping error.

A backpass saw Craggs miss his attempted clearance, and Mackay slotted into an empty net. As half-time approached it looked like a case of how many Consett would score, and when Craggs fumbled a Davies corner from the right, Dale Burrell was angry with himself for not getting over his shot from outside the box.

A fourth goal wasn’t long coming, however, and it was Davies who got it a minute before the break, with an excellent first strike for the club. Lund started the move with a ball out from the back, and Davies played a one-two with Walton before beating the keeper with a first-time lob from 25 yards after spotting him out of position.

Half-time: Consett 4 Northallerton Town 0

Consett’s 4-0 lead, coupled with an increasingly strong wind and Northallerton’s determination not to suffer a pasting made it a frustrating second 45 minutes. Ryan Bell’s surges forward from right-back showed he was fully recovered from his recent hamstring problems, and one such foray should have seen him add to his single goal in Consett colours.

Ryan Bell showed no ill-effects after returning from a recent injury. Pic: John Paul Hardy.

Chris Hutchinson – on as a half-time sub for Brown, with Poole reverting to left-back and Davies switching flanks – picked Bell out as he continued one run, but he put his shot over the bar.

To their credit, Northallerton hadn’t given up the game as a lost cause, and it was the introduction of their top scorer Peter Bulmer which led to their best spell of the match.

He pulled a goal back on 66 minutes after Town were allowed the freedom of the penalty area, reacting quickest when a shot came back off the post.

Five minutes later there was another scare when Hutchinson gave the ball away in his own half and let in right-back Stephen Butterworth, whose low, effort was beaten out by Poskett for a corner.

Hutchinson almost made amends on 72 minutes, when, after some good interplay by Mackay and Walton, he skinned his defender and prodded a shot which was heading in, even after Craggs got a foot to it, until left-back Stuart Dunn hooked clear off the line.

Northallerton centre-forward Gary Mitchell shaved the outside of a post and Carl Chillingsworth fired across the face of goal after going for glory, with two colleagues waiting for a pass. But Town’s resistance was finally put to bed in the 86th minute when substitute Gavin Ross added a fifth goal for Consett.

Gavin Ross scored Consett’s fifth goal. pic: John Paul Hardy.

Davies, who’d had a quiet second half, was the creator, dropping deep to pick up the ball, and sending the teenage striker clear with a glorious pass, which he buried with aplomb.

There was still time for Northallerton to give the scoreline a slightly more respectable look in the third minute of added time when Chillingsworth was given time and space to fire past Poskett from 10 yards, but the damage had been done in the first half, and it was Consett who secured an away tie against Norton & Stockton Ancients in the next round.

Consett: 1 Barry Poskett, 2 Ryan Bell (sub Michael Pearson 65), 3 David Brown (sub Chris Hutchinson 46), 4 Dale Burrell, 5 David Scorer, 6 Anthony Lund, 7 Harrison Davies, 8 Craig Robson (capt), 9 Marc Walton (sub Gavin Ross 71), 10 Michael Mackay, 11 Jamie Poole. Subs not used: Peter Jameson (GK), Damian Maw.

Northallerton Town: 1 Craggs, 2 S Butterworth, 3 Dunn, 4 Hickman, 5 Chapman, 6 M Butterworth (capt), 7 Anderson (Bulmer 59), 8 Parkin, 9 Mitchell, 10 Chillingsworth, 11 Clayton (Cook 73). Sub not used: Winter.

On this day: 19 November 2011 – Consett show in Vase victory that while goals win games, so do crunching tackles

Strikers Marc Walton and Michael Mackay may have grabbed the glory with a brace of goals apiece as Consett beat Ramsbottom United 4-2 in the FA Vase 2nd Round on this day in 2011.

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On this day: 18 November 2006 – Former Feyenoord man helps Consett get past Garforth in the FA Vase

An impressive performance from Consett saw them make comfortable progress through the FA Vase 2nd Round by seeing off Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Garforth Town on this day 14 years ago.

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On This Day: 11 November 2014 – Cup drama at Ryhope as Consett old boy has a night to forget

Consett eased through the 1st Round of the Durham Challenge Cup on this day in 2014, winning 5-2 at Ryhope CW – with the game effectively decided in six dramatic first-half minutes.

Manager Kenny Lindoe made just one change to the side which had drawn with Newcastle Benfield for the Tuesday night game, with Mark Eccles coming in at left-back, and Josh Gray pushing into midfield in place of the injured Jonny Wright.

With Adam Nicholls, Scott Martindale and David Brown also injured and Luke Sullivan and Josie Longstaff unavailable, goalkeeping coach Ben Cole was named among the subs.

Ryhope included two popular ex-Consett players in their starting XI, goalkeeper Barry Poskett and midfielder David Pounder, pictured top, and both were to play prominent roles in an incident-packed first half.

Pounder got the home side off to the perfect start, collecting a cross from the left and smashing a left-footed effort into the top corner from 25 yards after just two minutes.

Within a minute Poskett had spread himself well to save an effort from Aris Guerin-Lokonga, with Michael Mackay’s follow-up effort blocked by a defender.

Aris Guerin-Lokonga equalises for Consett. Pic: Gary Welford.

Calvin Smith then hit a 25-yard free-kick well over the top, before supplying the incisive pass for Aris Guerin-Lokonga to level on 12 minutes, drawing the keeper and firing home.

Ryhope had a couple of half-chances before the incident on 23 minutes which probably changed the entire course of the game.

Guerin-Lokonga latched onto a through ball and his lob looked certain to put Consett ahead until Poskett instinctively threw up his hands as he raced out of his area to meet The keeper handled the ball on the edge of the D, and after consulting his linesman, the referee showed him a straight red card.

Ryhope keeper Barry Poskett was shown a red card for this handball . Pic: Gary Welford.

Player-manager Gary Pearson went in goal, but his first task was to pick the ball out of the net three minutes later as Josh Gray‘s cross from the left squirmed under his body at the near post.

Within a minute it was 3-1 as Consett regained possession from the kick-off and Gray’s cross gave Michael Mackay an easy finish from seven yards.

Then on 29 minutes Smith touched a free-kick shot to Josh Gray, who rifled a shot into the top corner to make it 4-1.

The home side were reeling, and eight minutes before half-time a wonderful Smith pass sent Michael Mackay clear, and the striker finished with aplomb past the stand-in keeper for his 21st goal of the season.

Michael Mackay makes it 5-1 to Consett. Pic: Gary Welford.

Matty Slocombe had a shot blocked, Gray sent another just wide of the far post and, right on half-time, Guerin-Lokonga was denied what looked a clear penalty when he muscled his way past by two defenders and was pulled back, only for the referee to bottle the decision and blow his whistle for half-time.

Half-time: Ryhope CW 1 Consett 5

At 5-1 up, Consett had effectively booked their passage into the 2nd Round and a game at Gateshead, so it was no surprise that they took their foot off the pedal a little.

Chris Youldon was brought on for the second half in place of Ryan Bell, while Ryhope made two changes, bringing on teenage goalkeeper Anthony Rooke for Pearson and midfielder Nathan O’Neill for right-back James Cook.

Chris Youldon runs at the Ryhope defence. Pic: Gary Welford.

Within 10 minutes of the restart they’d made it clear that despite being a man shot, they were going to give it a go, as first left-back Martin Metcalfe and then midfielder Matthew Weirs tested Chris Elliott. The Consett keeper then had to get down smartly at his near post to a free-kick from Weirs.

At the other end, Smith hit the bar with a looping header from an Eccles cross, and then wasn’t too far away with a well-struck effort from 25 yards which flew just over the bar. Ryhope had a good chance to reduce the arrears when Weirs’ left-wing corner was headed down by O’Neill, and Craig Hughes volleyed into the ground and over the bar.

Consett made a couple more changes, bringing on Danny Craggs for Carl Piecha (with Slocombe moving to centre-back) and Chris Moore for Gray, and it seemed to perk up their somewhat flat second-half display.

Matty Slocombe ended the game playing centre-back for Consett. Pic: Gary Welford.

Moore’s pass gave Mackay a chance to complete his hat-trick, though Rooke did well to save at his feet and then benefited from a fortuitous ricochet.

Then Guerin-Lokonga looked odds-on to score after the keeper spilled a left-wing cross, until his shot took a deflection off a defender, hit the post, and was scrambled clear. Rooke did well again to keep out a 25-yard free-kick from Eccles, diving full-length to his right to push it around the post.

To their credit, Ryhope kept taking the game to their higher-ranked opponents, and got their reward with an 89th-minute consolation goal from Metcalfe, who drilled a low shot past Elliott.

The final minute saw Mackay net from a rebound after Rooke couldn’t hold onto Moore’s shot, but the striker was denied by the linesman’s flag, and Consett had to settle for a 5-2 passage into the next round.

Michael Mackay was denied a hat-trick by the linesman’s flag. Pic: Gary Welford.

Ryhope CW: 1 Barry Poskett, 2 James Cook (sub Nathan O’Neill 46), 3 Martin Metcalfe, 4 Paul Braithwaite, 5 Gary Pearson (sub Anthony Rooke 46), 6 Max Stoker, 7 Matthew Weirs, 8 Craig Hughes, 9 Jack Pounder, 10 David Pounder, 11 Alex Marshall.
Subs not used: Chris Trewick, Philip Hall

Consett: 1 Chris Elliott, 2 Ryan Bell (sub Chris Youldon 46), 3 Mark Eccles, 4 Gilberto Chapim, 5 Carl Piecha (sub Danny Craggs 64), 6 Dan Madden, 7 Matty Slocombe, 8 Calvin Smith, 9 Aris Guerin-Lokonga, 10 Michael Mackay, 11 Josh Gray (sub Chris Moore 70). Subs not used: Adam Nicholls, Ben Cole

On This Day: 9 November 2013 – four quickfire goals give Consett victory at Hebburn Town

Four goals in an amazing 15-minute spell either side of half-time gave Consett the points against bottom club Hebburn Town on this day back in 2013.

But manager Kenny Lindoe was just as pleased with the clean sheet his side kept in the Ebac Northern League Division One game at Hebburn Sports Club – it was just their second of the season.

This was their 16th consecutive away game of a lop-sided season as they waited for their new ground Belle View Stadium to be finished.

In a typically attack-minded move, Lindoe made just one change to the starting line-up from the previous game, a 5-3 midweek win at Morpeth, which you can read about here, with Aris Guerin-Lokonga coming in for the injured David Brown.

Aris Guerin-Lokonga battles against the Hebburn defence. Pic: Gary Welford.

He lined up in a three-man attack with Michael Mackay and Luke Sullivan, with Anthony Lund dropping in to left-back. Hebburn, who were still looking for their first league win of the season, included one ex-Steelman, midfielder Daniel Reeves, who’d made three appearances in 2011-12.

Consett started the game as they’d left off against Morpeth four days earlier, and Sullivan had a chance after just two minutes, but volleyed wide of the left-hand post from Mackay’s cross.

But both sides struggled to find any sort of rhythm for the next 20 minutes, and the first-half had reached its midway point by the time the next serious chance arrived.

Sullivan tried his luck with a free-kick from 25 yards, and although Consett claimed a defender in the wall had handled, the referee was unmoved.

Michael Mackay made it 1-0 to Consett with this strike. pic: Gary Welford.

Mackay had the next notable chance on 25 minutes, but fired over from 20 yards – so far over, in fact, that the ball cleared the wall behind the goal and ended up on the main road outside.

However, Michael Mackay showed he had his shooting boots on 10 minutes later when he received the ball on the edge of the box, worked an opportunity for himself, and cracked home a great shot to make it 1-0.

Luke Sullivan scored Consett’s second goal with a header. pic: Gary Welford.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0, and this time it was top scorer Luke Sullivan on target. Consett were awarded a free-kick on the right, and Calvin Smith’s dead ball was met by the head of the No 9, who powered it home from eight yards.

Right on half-time Consett scored again, and it was the best goal of the game. Chris Bell’s corner from the right was cleared only as far as Andrew Cuthbertson on the left edge of the box, and he took a couple of steps forward before curling an exquisite chip just under the bar, beyond the grasp of Hebburn keeper Andy Hunter. Cuppa didn’t score many, but when he did they were top-quality.

Andrew Cuthbertson curls home a superb third goal for Consett. Pic: Gary Welford.

Consett went in at the break 3-0 up, and within five minutes of the restart they had extended their advantage. Michael Pearson’s pass in from the right found Michael Mackay, who prodded the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

It seemed to be a question of how many Consett would now score, but to Hebburn’s credit they kept plugging away, and began to create chances themselves.

Michael Mackay gets his second goal to make it 4-0. Pic: Gary Welford.

Giant striker Channon North had one shot saved by keeper Jack Norton, then blazed the rebound over, and steered another wide with the goal at his mercy.

Consett also had chances to add to their total. Smith struck a 30-yarder just over the bar, and Mackay drilled a shot wide from Chris Bell’s pass. The ex-Hartlepool striker had a great chance to complete his hat-trick when he was set up by Guerin-Lokonga on 72 minutes, but again fired over from 20 yards.

The last chance of the game fell to Hebburn No 9 Kris Goss, with just a couple of minutes remaining, but he hit the bar with a free header after a sloppy piece of marking by the Consett defence.

Consett defender Ryan Bell wins this header. Pic: Gary Welford.

HEBBURN TOWN: 1 Andy Hunter (captain), 2 Matthew Hornsby (sub 15 Scott Wallace 46 mins), 3 Peter Henderson, 4 Daniel Reeves, 5 Alexander Downey, 6 Kris Summers, 7 Marc Costello, 8 Michael Watson (sub 13 Callum Smith 46 mins), 9 Kris Goss, 10 Channon North, 11 Lewis Lynch (sub 16 Paul Gordon 70 mins). Subs not used: 12 Chris Smith, 14 Kevin Morton.

CONSETT: 1 Jack Norton, 2 Michael Pearson, 3 Anthony Lund, 4 Calvin Smith, 5 Carl Piecha (captain) (sub 15 Scott Martindale 79 mins), 6 Ryan Bell, 7 Chris Bell, 8 Andrew Cuthbertson (sub 17 Matty Slocombe 65 mins), 9 Luke Sullivan (sub 12 Ian Davidson 61 mins), 10 Michael Mackay, 11 Aris Guerin-Lokonga. Subs not used: 14 Kieran Martin, 16 Craig Robson.

On this day: 6 November 2013 – Stray balls and cheeky backheels as Consett win an eight-goal thriller at Morpeth

Consett took their fans on a roller-coaster ride in an entertaining Wednesday night game at Morpeth Town on this day seven years ago.

The Northern League Division One game at Craik Park saw them rack up their 50th goal of the season, but concede their 48th – in just their 19th game!

Manager Kenny Lindoe made two changes to the side which had beated Jarrow Roofing eight days earlier, with fit-again defenders Carl Piecha and Ryan Bell coming in for Matty Slocombe and Mark Eccles, with the latter a late withdrawal after pulling up in the warm-up.

The Steelmen pushed forward from the start, and should have gone in front within two minutes, when a good move down the right gave Chris Bell a chance, but he badly miscued his shot across the face of goal.

But on four minutes Consett were ahead, with Bell making amends by sending Michael Mackay clear with a measured pass which beat the offside trap, and left the former Hartlepool man the simple task of slotting home past advancing keeper Steven Mundy.

Michael Mackay gives Consett an early lead at Morpeth in 2013. Pic: Gary Welford.

After their early setback, the home side regrouped to enjoy their best spell of the game, with Sean Taylor and Jordan Fry both going close, before a right-wing cross brought the equaliser on 19 minutes. A ball in from the wing fell to the back post, where Taylor fired home. However, the referee had already blown the whistle for a push on Michael Chilton by Michael Pearson, and awarded a penalty. Chilton stepped up and thumped his spot-kick into the top-left corner.

Consett thought they had re-taken the lead on the half-hour mark. David Brown took a quick free-kick to Anthony Lund on the left, and his cross found Mackay, who hooked the ball home. But the away bench had returned a stray ball onto the pitch, and even though it was not interfering with play, the referee ruled out the ‘goal’.

Consett keeper Jack Norton catches a high ball. Pic: Gary Welford.

The incident seemed to make Consett lose their focus for a while, and on 40 minutes they went behind, after a flowing Morpeth move down the right. Defender Daniel Patterson started it with a pass out to Fry on the right, and he reached the by-line before crossing into the six-yard box, where Chilton netted with a cheeky backheel.

With the final kick of the half, Consett made it 2-2. Piecha set Lund away down the left with a long ball out from the back, and when Morpeth keeper Mundy came racing out of his area into no-man’s land, the wide-man rolled it past him from 30 yards.

Anthony Lund scores for Consett to make it 2-2. Pic: Gary Welford.

Half time: Morpeth Town 2-2 Consett

Consett made a change at half-time, bringing on Aris Guerin-Lokonga for Brown, with Lund dropping to left-back. And it paid dividends when they retook the lead on the hour. Mackay fed the ball out to Chris Bell on the right, and he drove the ball into the middle, where Sullivan finished from a few yards out, for his 20th goal of the season.

Pearson almost joined him on the scoresheet a couple of minutes later when his speculative effort from the right was pawed from under the crossbar by Mundy, and then Mackay put a header straight at the keeper from another Chris Bell cross.

Consett made a change at half-time, bringing on Aris Guerin-Lokonga. Pic: Gary Welford.

But in what was fast becoming the story of the season, the Steelmen were made to pay for not taking their chances, as Morpeth equalised on 72 minutes. Right-back Shaun Henderson crossed towards Chilton, and the striker looked to have been pushed in the back by Piecha, who headed the ball up in the air. As the rest of the defence stood watching, Taylor reacted first to rifle the dropping ball into the top-right corner.

As the game entered its last quarter of an hour it looked like ‘next goal wins’, and Consett had what they thought was a good penalty appeal turned down when Guerin-Lokonga was sent sprawling by centre-back Chris Jewels as they chased a ball into the box.

Consett’s Calvin Smith makes way for Michael Mackay. Pic: Gary Welford.

The referee awarded only a corner, but the decision worked in Consett’s favour, as from the setpiece they went 4-3 ahead. Bell’s corner was half-cleared, and Calvin Smith lashed home the goal of the game from 25 yards with a superb strike which went in off the bar.

Consett brought on Craig Robson for Andrew Cuthbertson in a bid to shore things up, but they needn’t have worried, as, with five minutes to go, they scored again to wrap the game up. Pearson’s pass sent Guerin-Lokonga clear, and he made the keeper commit himself before unselfishly squaring the ball for Sullivan to roll his second goal of the night and 21st of the season into the unguarded net.

Consett’s Luke Sullivan wheels away after making it 5-3. Pic: Gary Welford.

Full time: Morpeth 3-5 Consett

The teams lined up:

Morpeth Town : Steven Mundy, Shaun Henderson Michael Robinson, Andrew Keenan (Scott Swanston 75), David Hiftle, Chris Jewels (capt), Stephen Forster (Shaun Bell 75), Jordan Fry, Daniel Patterson (Steven Anderson 68), Michael Chilton, Sean Taylor. Subs not used: Michael Hall, Marc Walmsley
Consett: Jack Norton, Michael Pearson, David Brown (Aris Guerin-Lokonga 46), Calvin Smith, Carl Piecha (capt), Ryan Bell, Chris Bell, Andrew Cuthbertson (Craig Robson 80), Luke Sullivan, Michael Mackay, Anthony Lund. Subs not used: Matty Slocombe, Daniel Hall

This was the season Consett played their first 18 league games away from home, while they waited for their new Belle View Stadium to be completed. This was the 15th of those games. Such an unbalanced schedule obviously took its toll on the Steelmen, and they finished the season 11th.

Morpeth, who had only been promoted from the 2nd Division the season before, finished 17th in their first season back in the top flight. But their fortunes over the next few seasons would show how quickly things can change in football.

They were 8th the next season, then 4th – in the same season where they lifted the FA Vase – before two runners-up finishes prepared the way for promotion.

On this day: 5 November 2011: Consett win a Bonfire Night cracker against South Shields

Remember the UK-wide lockdown back in the spring, when the Northern League season was suspended and then declared null and void? Of course you do.

In the absence of football during that time, we enjoyed a regular look back at matches from Consett’s history in our On This Day feature. We trawled our archives and unearthed lots of previously unseen pictures as we celebrated our past.

With no football fix until at least 3 December after the Government announced Lockdown Mk II to try to combat the spread of coronavirus, we thought we’d do it again!

We’ll be looking back at games from our recent past – and not-so-recent in a couple of particularly notable occasions – starting with a 5th November cracker at our old Belle Vue Park ground back in 2011.

Our opponents in the Division one encounter were South Shields, who we’ve enjoyed a friendly rivalry with for many years, and there were certainly fireworks as we won an incident-packed game 4-3!

A Michael Mackay first-half double and second-half strikes from Dale Burrell and Marc Walton were enough for victory, and although Consett were never behind, the points never looked safe until the very closing stages.

Consett’s Craig Robson battles for possession against South Shields. Pic: Hayley Revell.

Kenny Lindoe’s side started slightly the brighter and were first to threaten when Dale Burrell burst through from midfield on seven minutes, however instead of squaring for the wide open Michael Mackay he chose to shoot and his effort was blocked.

Mackay wasn’t to be denied, however, and a minute later he latched onto a long ball by Harrison Davies. Although his shot was well blocked by Jamie Scope, the ball continued its path towards goal and the combined efforts of the hapless defender and keeper Jake Cunningham could only help it over the line for an own goal.

The lead was short lived as Shields equalised with their first attack of note on 11 minutes. Full-back Barrie Smith’s searching cross found the head of Stephen Ramsey, and although Consett keeper Barry Poskett made a good save, future Steelman David Colvin was on hand to finish the rebound from no more than five yards.

With both sides looking shaky at the back, a high-scoring game looked on the cards, and sure enough on 17 minutes Davies again played Michael Mackay clean through, and the in-form striker buried his shot in the bottom right-hand corner, pictured top.

Consett began to dominate, with Davies particularly influential. Floating between the left wing and behind the strikers, the Shields defenders couldn’t pick him up, and he sent a 25-yard effort just wide on 33 minutes before setting up Marc Walton on 35 minutes, though the No 9 put his 12-yard header narrowly wide.

Consett’s David Brown looks for a pass against South Shields. Pic: Hayley Revell.

South Shields did come back into the game, and five minutes before the break Stephen Ramsey twice headed just wide in the space of 60 seconds but Consett went into the break 2-1 up.

Half time: Consett 2-1 South Shields

The second half started flatly but burst into life on 53 minutes with the goal of the game from Dale Burrell to make it 3-1. The assist again came from Davies, who squared to him 30 yards out, and the midfielder smashed the ball into the top-right corner.

It was almost 4-1 on 57 minutes but Walton was unlucky to see his effort from 12 yards hit the bar, with Davies again the provider.

Consett seemed content to sit on their lead at this point, which let Shields began to dominate possession and noticeably grow in confidence.

Consett defender Carl Piecha brings the ball out v South Shields. Pic: Hayley Revell.

The Steelmen started to look nervous in defence, and the inevitable happened on 72 minutes when, after numerous failed attempts to clear their lines, Jonathan Wightman sent in a cross from the right and David Colvin doubled his tally for the afternoon with a neat volleyed finish.

Just as it looked as though the home side could be in for a torrid final period, Craig Robson hit a lovely diagonal pass to Chris Hutchinson, and just as the wideman looked as though he was about to shoot, he cleverly cut the ball back to Marc Walton, who, with the help of a post, made no mistake to make it 4-2 on 75 minutes.

Consett finally looked as though they would see the game out in comfort, and although South Shields got a third in the third minute of stoppage time through a looping Lee Bell header, there was barely time to kick off again.

Full-time: Consett 4 South Shields 3

The programme for the 2011 Consett v South Shields game.

The teams lined up:
Consett: 1. Barry Poskett, 2. David Scorer, 3. David Brown, 4. Dale Burrell, 5. Anthony Lund, 6. Carl Piecha, 7. Chris Hutchinson (sub Michael Pearson), 8. Craig Robson, 9. Marc Walton, 10. Michael Mackay, 11. Harrison Davies (sub Jamie Poole). Subs not used: Damien Maw, Peter Jameson, Gavin Ross.

South Shields: 1. Jake Cunningham, 2. Barrie Smith, 3. Paul Talbot, 4. Jamie Scope, 5. Lee Bell, 6. Gilberto Chapim, 7. Jonathan Wightman, 8 Andrew Barclay (sub Anthony Burnell), 9. Stephen Ramsey (sub Denver Morris), 10. Simon Fitzpatrick (sub Sebastien Anzevui), 11. David Colvin. Subs not used: Dan Kirkup, Michael Rodenby.

Consett complete their pre-season friendlies with a behind-closed-doors win over Sunderland Under-23s

Consett completed their pre-season schedule tonight with a good 3-2 win over Sunderland Under-23s at the Academy of Light.

The game was played behind closed doors, with only players, club staff and officials allowed, and Terry Mitchell’s side were well worth their win over the young Black Cats.

Sunderland took the lead after just four minutes, when their centre-back headed home at the back post from a free-kick in from the right.

But Consett were level after 10 minutes when Jake Orrell’s pass played in Calvin Smith, and the midfielder scored at the second attempt after the keeper saved his first effort, pictured.

It remained 1-1 at the break, but after the usual rash of half-time substitutions Consett took the lead two minutes into the second half.

A slick move down the left ended with Orrell passing to Matty Cornish, who had just come on, and he fired home to make it 2-1.

A third goal came in the 72nd minute, when Daniel Marriott’s pass sent Michael Mackay in on goal, and the veteran striker held his nerve to slot the ball past the keeper.

Both sides had further chances in a good, free-flowing game, and Consett keeper Kyle Hayes made a couple of fine saves.

But Sunderland had the last word when they got a goal back in the last minute to make the final score 3-2 to Consett.

  • Full match report and more pictures to follow.