Consett AFC are pleased to announce the appointment of Uefa ‘A’ licence-holding coach Richie Hill as manager Andy Coyles’ new No 2.
Continue reading “Consett appoint ex-Middlesbrough coach Richie Hill as their new assistant manager”
Consett AFC are pleased to announce the appointment of Uefa ‘A’ licence-holding coach Richie Hill as manager Andy Coyles’ new No 2.
Continue reading “Consett appoint ex-Middlesbrough coach Richie Hill as their new assistant manager” →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” →Consett shared the spoils with FA Vase winners Spennymoor Town in a highly entertaining 2-2 draw on this day in 2013, on what should have been the last league game at Belle Vue Park.
It was intended to be Consett’s last competitive fixture at the old ground, and would have been a more than suitable way to sign off, as, even though there was little more than pride to play for, both teams went at it hammer and tongs.
However, we had been told by the league that we had to re-play a game against Newcastle Benfield which had been abandoned with 12 minutes left when the floodlights went out, as that could still have a bearing on who was relegated from the Northern League 1st Division.
The Steelmen made two changes from the previous game against Marske, with Peter Jameson replacing Chris Elliott in goal, and Luke Sullivan coming in for Ian Davidson, with David Brown reverting to left-back.
Spennymoor’s 16 included 11 of their Wembley winners, but they were without the injured Gavin Cogdon, and they had an outfield player, Carl Beasley, in goal, with both their regular custodians missing.
Consett afforded their visitors the privilege of a guard of honour onto the field, but, after an early scare, proceeded to play the better football, with the wind at their backs.
Moors threatened first on five minutes, when Andrew Stephenson played in Michael Rae, but the centre-forward’s lob over the advancing Jameson dropped just wide.
The game was being played largely in midfield, with both teams looking to play a passing game in blustery conditions.
It was 25 minutes before Consett registered their first serious attempt on goal, with Sullivan’s free-kick from 20 yards flashing just over. On 32 minutes Calvin Smith tried his luck from a setpiece slightly further out, and again wasn’t far away.
Three minutes later the Steelmen were ahead, with a well-crafted goal. Kieran Martin was the architect down the right, finding Michael Mackay’s feet just inside the box. The 34-goal top scorer turned, only to see his shot blocked by a defender, but the ball fell handily for his strike partner Aris Guerin-Lokonga, who fired into the bottom corner from just inside the box.
Four minutes later Spenny should have levelled, but Rae, who was given the freedom of the penalty area, headed over from Stephen Capper’s right-wing cross. Three minutes later Rae had another chance, and this one was even easier, but he headed wide from Kallum Griffiths’ cross.
Right on half-time Consett doubled their lead, and there was an element of good fortune about it. A backpass sold stand-in keeper Beasley short, and when he rushed out of his box to meet it, he could only blast the ball against Guerin-Lokonga. Despite the attentions of Chris Mason, the ball rolled in to make it 2-0.
Spennymoor made an attacking substitition early in the second half, bringing on Steven Richardson for Stephenson, and the change paid immediate dividends, as they pulled a goal back on 51 minutes. Graydon’s pass set up Craig Ruddy in the left-hand channel, and the little winger’s shot found its way past Jameson with the help of a deflection.
Rae had another chance when he burst clean through the middle, but fired over, and then Consett had skipper Carl Piecha to thank for a great saving tackle on Richardson as he homed in on goal.
Little was seen of Consett as an attacking force in the second half, but they had two good chances to restore their two-goal lead. On 73 minutes, good link-up play between Guerin-Lokonga and Mackay set up Sullivan, but his curling effort was straight at the keeper.
Five minutes later a lovely piece of skill from Guerin-Lokonga saw him beat two men, but Beasley saved his shot well down at his near post.
Consett were finding it hard to get out of their own half due to the stiff breeze, and the inevitable happened on 86 minutes when the league runners-up levelled. Capper was the provider with a cross from the left, but Jameson will have to hold up his hands after coming to punch the ball, but being beaten to it by Mason, who headed into the unguarded goal.
The visitors threw everything forward as they went for the win. Richardson should have scored when clean through, but fired wide, and in the last minute he was even closer, hitting the post from Anthony Peacock’s pass. When the final whistle went, it was honours even – just about a fair result.
Silksworth Colliery Welfare were their opponents for a 3pm kick-off at Belle Vue Park, and were duly despatched 5-0, with goals from Doug Morris, Austin Lee, Owen Lee (2) and debutant David Lumley.
Then at 6.30 they ran out against to complete their season with an ‘away’ game against Sunderland Structural Steel which had been switched to Belle Vue.
The visitors didn’t have an advantage in facing tired opponents, however, as they had already played a game in the afternoon, too, drawing 2-2 with Pyrex SC.
It was the Steelmen – fielding largely the same side – who ended their season on a high, winning 3-0 with goals from Doug Oxley, Austin Lee and Doug Morris.
Consett were trying to halt the Spennymoor Town juggernaut on this day in 2014, on what turned out to be their last visit to the Brewery Field.
But the Steelmen were beaten by a first-half goal from Andrew Stephenson as Moors extended their unbeaten league run to 19 games to stay on course for the Northern League title and promotion to the Evo-stik League.
Manager Kenny Lindoe made two changes to the side which had drawn 0-0 with Dunston four days earlier, with Ryan Bell returning at right-back and Michael Mackay up front, with Mark Eccles and Luke Sullivan dropping out through injury.
Moors, whose last league defeat was in the opening Northern League game at our new Belle View Stadium back in November, were missing the likes of Gavin Cogdon and Kallum Griffiths, but still had a formidable side out, including future Steelman Kyle Hayes in goal.
The home side almost got off to a flying start in the first minute when Consett keeper Chris Elliott smashed a backpass straight at home centre-forward Liam Henderson, and could only watch relieved as the ball flew back past him, but spun wide of the post. On nine minutes, Stephenson picked out Henderson on the edge of the area, but his first-time shot fizzed past the far post.
Moors were doing all the pressing, and Andrew Johnson got away down the right and delivered a superb cross which flashed across the face of goal, before Lewis Dodds cut inside from the right and unleashed a shot that went narrowly wide.
Consett had their first strike on goal on 13 minutes, when Gilberto Chapim collected a pass from Aristote Guerin-Lokonga and struck a shot from 25 yards which keeper Hayes tipped over the crossbar.
A nip and tuck period followed in which neither side gave any ground or created a chance worthy of the name, and when the next opportunity came in the 32nd minute, it turned out to be the winner.
Stephen Capper advanced down the left and slipped the ball inside to Henderson, whose superb flick played in Johnson. He rounded Elliott and fired in a left-footed shot which was finished at the back post by Stephenson.
The Steelmen responded well, and were unlucky not to go in level after a good few minutes before the break. First, however, referee Tony Peart needed lengthy treatment after being pole-axed by a piledriver from Calvin Smith, though he somehow had the presence of mind to blow his whistle to stop the game on his way down!
David Coulson rose well at the back post to meet a free-kick, but headed just wide under pressure, and then forced Hayes to drop the ball at another setpiece, but Aris Guerin-Lokonga and Matty Slocombe both had shots blocked by some resolute defending.
Spennymoor made a change at half-time, with Wayne Phillips replacing Anthony Peacock. He was quickly involved, whipping over a delightful centre which Stephenson headed wide. On 54 minutes, Elliott pulled off the save of the match when he went full stretch to claw Keith Graydon’s 22-yard free-kick away from the top corner.
Henderson headed over from the resulting corner, and then Moors top scorer Henderson was denied by a last-ditch Bell challenge, which deflected his shot onto the roof of the net. On 71 minutes Consett had their best chance of the half as the half-fit Mackay met Andrew Cuthbertson’s right-wing cross, but couldn’t keep his header down.
Moors went in search of a killer second, but couldn’t find it, even with the introduction of fresh forwards Sonny Andrews and Dan Taylor, and despite Consett’s loss of skipper Carl Piecha, who limped off after suffering a recurrence of a recent ankle injury. Andrews went the closest as he raced down the right and flashed over a teasing cross which Elliott and Slocombe somehow managed to clear for a corner.
Consett had one last half-chance when Smith’s free-kick from the left reached Coulson, but he was unsighted, and couldn’t steer his header on target.
It was a disappointing end to a game strangely lacking in clear-cut chances, given that the league’s two top-scoring sides were in opposition. For Spennymoor it was another win ground out on their way to a fourth Northern League title in five years.
For Consett it was a disappointing end to their away fixtures in a lop-sided season, which ended with three successive home games, and an 11th place finish. The 110 goals scored was our club record for the Northern League 1st Division, though the ‘goals against’ column prevented us mounting a genuine title challenge.
Spennymoor: 1 Kyle Hayes, 2 Joe Walton, 3 Chris Mason (captain), 4 Lewis Dodds, 5 Dan Groves, 6 Stephen Capper, 7 Andrew Stephenson, 8 Keith Graydon, 9 Liam Henderson (sub Dan Taylor 85), 10 Andrew Johnson (sub Sonny Andrews 77), 11 Anthony Peacock (sub Wayne Phillips 46). Subs not used: Daniel Dillon, Michael Laws.
Consett: 1 Chris Elliott, 2 Ryan Bell, 3 David Brown, 4 Calvin Smith, 5 David Coulson, 6 Carl Piecha (captain) (sub Tony Coe 79), 7 Andrew Cuthbertson, 8 Gilberto Chapim, 9 Aris Guerin-Lokonga, 10 Michael Mackay (sub Scott Canham 85), 11 Matty Slocombe. Subs not used: Michael Pearson, Dan Regan, Luke Sullivan.
Consett have announced the signing of attacking midfielder Jake Orrell, who has just been released by Blyth Spartans.
The National League North side announced on Friday that the 22-year-old’s contract had been cancelled by mutual consent.
Orrell is a player who has been on Consett’s radar for some time, and the club acted quickly to speak to him and agree terms once his availability was known. He went straight into the squad for the match against second-placed Stockton Town at the Coverall Stadium.
Orrell began his career at the Sunderland AFC Academy, before joining Gateshead in January 2015, and making six substitute appearances for them towards the end of the 2014-15 season.
A trial at Chesterfield earned him a professional contract, and he made two first-team appearances for the League One side before being loaned out to Matlock Town, and then joining Hartlepool United on a free transfer in June 2016.
After a spell with Spennymoor Town in the Northern Premier League, he joined Northern League club Newcastle Benfield in October 2017, and was a member of the side who were League Cup runners-up last season.
He signed for Blyth Spartans in the summer, and although he had featured regularly, appearing in 10 of their 13 games this season, the club said the decision to release him from his contract was agreed reluctantly, at the player’s request.
Manager Lee Clark said: “Jake came to see me about leaving. I was disappointed, but if anyone wants to play at a lower level then they have not got the ambition I want. I wish Jake all the best for his future career.”
Jake said: “There was only one choice of club for me on leaving Blyth, and that was Consett. They’re a great club with big ambition, and can’t wait to get started.”