Tag: sunderland academy

danny barlow

Consett sign Blyth Spartans midfielder on month-long loan

Consett have today signed midfielder Danny Barlow from National League North side Blyth Spartans on a month-long loan.

The 23-year-old has been at Croft Park for a year after signing on dual registration from Whickham. He made 11 appearances last season, scoring once, and was a key part of the side as they successfully fought relegation.

Born in Monkseaton, versatile left-footer Danny was at Sunderland AFC Academy from the ages of 8-13, and also attended Monkseaton Football Academy.

He represented England Under-18s Schoolboys before heading out to the USA on a scholarship.

Turning out for Saginaw Valley State University, he managed 15 goals and five assists in 16 appearances, earning his side’s Player of the Year award for the 2020-21 season.

At the end of that season he returned to England, signing for Whickham in December 2021, and joining Blyth Spartans (then managed by ex-Consett boss Terry Mitchell) on dual registration in February 2022.

Danny, who worked with current Consett manager Tony Fawcett at Whickham, is expected to go straight into the squad for tonight’s Northern Premier League game at North Shields.

Consett AFC chairman Frank Bell said: “Danny has played at a good level, and is joining us on a month’s loan. We’d like to thank Blyth Spartans for their assistance in making this happen.”

sunderland

Consett suffer first pre-season defeat to slick Sunderland youngsters

Consett tasted defeat for the first time in pre-season tonight, going down 3-1 to an impressive Sunderland XI in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Academy of Light.

Terry Mitchell’s team were on the ropes for most of the first half as they struggled to cope with the sharp, hungry Black Cats side, which was a mixture of U18s/U23s.

They fell behind after 12 minutes, when a through ball from midfield left a striker with just Consett keeper Kyle Hayes to beat, and he obliged.

Hayes made a string of saves as Sunderland’s passing and movement cut the Steelmen open, but there was nothing he could do about the second goal on the half-hour, as the No 11 cut in from the left and fired home.

Things got even worse on 33 minutes, when a shot by the Sunderland No 8 from 25 yards took a wicked deflection off a defender and crept inside the left-hand post.

Consett had created little and struggled to keep the ball at times, but after making seven half-time changes, the second 45 minutes was a different story.

Dale Pearson rattled the post with a 25-yarder on 51 minutes, while Nick Allen’s header from a corner clipped the top of the bar.

This was a much-improved Consett performance, and they got their reward in the 73rd minute when Calvin Smith’s wonderful long pass from inside his own half found Colin Larkin.

The striker, who has just followed former teammate Stephen Callen from Sunderland RCA, produced a classy finish, dinking the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1, pictured top.

Larkin fired another chance into the side netting, Matty Slocombe blazed over and Carl Lawson flicked an effort just over the bar as Consett took the game to their hosts.

In the 84th minute Sunderland’s keeper made the save of the game, clawing away a header from Consett’s trialist striker which was heading for the top corner.

It finished 3-1 to Sunderland, but manager Terry Mitchell was happy with his team’s second-half display after a first half which ranked alongside their most disappointing since he came to the club.

Cornish scores twice as Consett continue FA Vase countdown with friendly at Sunderland Academy

Consett continued their countdown to the FA Vase final at Wembley by taking on a Sunderland XI in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Academy of Light.

Terry Mitchell’s side are looking sharper with every game, but lost 4-3 in an action-packed match against a young Black Cats side, despite two goals from Matty Cornish, pictured top.

However, they fell behind early on when a Sunderland striker reacted quickest to the loose ball after a good save by Consett keeper Kyle Hayes.

The Steelmen levelled midway through the half when a pass from Calvin Smith sent Matty Cornish away down the right. he cut inside the left-back and drilled a left-footed screamer in off the post.

Just before half-time Consett went ahead when Dan Marriott ran between the Sunderland centre-backs, and the keeper cleaned him out as he tried to reach the ball.

Up stepped Cornish, who had scored from the spot at North Shields on Saturday, and he sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-1.

Consett rang the changes at half-time, bringing on five substitutes, and before they could settle it was 2-2, as a Sunderland striker again reacted quickest from a Hayes save.

Dale Pearson replaced Cornish, and the striker was involved in the goal which restored Consett’s lead. He played a defence-splitting pass to Nick Allen, who squared it for Carl Lawson to score with a shot which nutmegged a defender and the keeper.

Straight from the kick-off Sunderland levelled again, scoring with an excellent strike into the top corner from 25 yards.

A great ball in by Ali Alshabeeb saw Ross Wilkinson power a header just over the bar as the game went from end to end.

But it was Sunderland who grabbed a fortunate winner when a shot took a huge deflection and looped over the keeper to make the final score 4-3.

Consett strengthen their squad with the signing of former Blyth Spartans player Jake Orrell

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.”