Tag: wearside league

reserves final

Consett Reserves’ first senior season ends in disappointment with cup final defeat

Consett Reserves’ first season ended in disappointment tonight when they lost 4-2 in the Wearside League Division 3 League Cup final at Belle View.

The young Steelmen, who were previously a junior side, had already clinched promotion, finishing 3rd in their league.

And they looked like they might end a memorable season with a promotion and cup double after taking a two-goal first-half lead against Chester-le-Street United Reserves.

They took the lead with a penalty by top scorer Jamie Edmunds in the 17th minute, pictured below, after Jacob Kennyford’s header struck a defender’s raised hand.

consett reserves
Jamie Edmunds gives Consett Reserves the lead from the penalty spot. Pic by Keith Marley.

And after Kieran Scott hit the post direct from a corner, Adam Wrightson made it 2-0 in the 35th minute, racing onto a pass into the right-hand channel and beating the advancing keeper to fire home, pictured below.

consett reserves
Adam Wrightson doubles Consett Reserves’ lead. Pic by Kenny Taylor.

Four minutes before half-time Chester-le-Street got a goal back through Benji Jackson, who finished into the bottom corner from 25 yards, to make it 2-1 at the interval.

Chester started the second half strongly, and on the hour it was all-square, as Sam Johnson beat the keeper at his near post to make it 2-2.

Consett suffered a further blow when 24-goal Edmunds had to go off after taking an accidental knee in the face as he challenged the Chester keeper, pictured below.

And on 72 minutes the visitors took the lead through Scurfield, who applied a first-time finish from a free-kick.

Consett threw the kitchen sink at their visitors as they sought an equaliser to take the game to penalties, and Chester were grateful to keeper James Hughes for two point-blank saves with an outstretched leg.

As the game entered its ninth added minute the Steelmen had one last chance after being awarded a free-kick, and even sent their keeper up for the setpiece.

But when the delivery was cleared and Chester broke quickly, Sam Johnson was left with the simple task of running the ball into the empty net to make it 4-2 with the last kick of the game.

consett reserves

Sixth win in a row keeps Consett Reserves on track for league and cup double

Consett Reserves kept their hopes of a league and cup double very much alive today when they beat Billingham Synthonia AR 5-0 to record their sixth win in a row.

It keeps the second-placed young Steelmen seven points behind leaders Deerness Valley in Division Three of the Wearside League.

Top scorer Jamie Edmunds gave Consett the lead on the half hour from the penalty spot, pictured top, and doubled their advantage a few minutes later after great work by Jacob Kennyford, pictured below.

Edmunds thought he had his hat-trick after the break with another penalty, but the referee ordered it to be retaken for encroachment by a Consett player.

The Billingham keeper saved the retaken kick, and the follow-up, and two further shots were blocked on the line in a remarkable passage of play before Owen Butler slammed home the ball to make it 3-0.

Two minutes later Tom Eglin added a fourth as the home side carved open the visitors’ defence, and skipper Kieran Scott made it 5-0 with a cool finish.

Consett thought they had a sixth when a header from a corner appeared to cross the line, but the referee decided a defender had cleared it.

* Consett Reserves’ next game is at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 2 May, when they entertain league leaders Deerness Valley in a potential title decider.

richmond town

Consett wear down dogged Richmond Town for second friendly win

Consett made it two wins from two pre-season games today when they eventually wore down a dogged Richmond Town side to record a 2-0 win at Belle View Stadium.

Despite the two-division gap between the sides, the Wearside League outfit made Consett work hard for their win, with the breakthrough only coming thanks to an unfortunate goalkeeping error.

The Steelmen dominated the first half, and Dale Pearson almost opened the scoring on nine minutes when he powered through the visitors’ defence, but the keeper got enough on his shot for a defender to get back and clear off the line.

In the 20th minute a Calvin Smith effort was just wide when he headed Jake Orrell’s cross back across goal, pictured below.

Consett’s Calvin Smith heads wide of the Richmond goal from Jake Orrell’s cross. Pic: Gary Welford.

Richmond actually had the ball in the net midway through the half, when their No 6 met a deep cross from the right to finish at the back post, but he was ruled offside.

On 26 minutes the Richmond keeper made an excellent save from one of Consett’s trialists, pushing his well-struck shot over the bar.

Consett rang the changes at half-time, making five substitutions, and one of the newcomers, Dan Marriott, brought another good save from the keeper on 51 minutes, with a header from a right-wing cross.

richmond
Consett’s Dan Marriott brought a good save from the Richmond keeper with this header. Pic: Gary Welford.

Another sub, Stephen Callen, then set up Dale Pearson, but the keeper denied him with a fine point-blank save at his near post.

Unfortunately for Richmond, it was a goalkeeping error which saw Consett take the lead on 61 minutes.

Good work by Callen set up Jake Orrell for a shot from the edge of the box, and although it was well struck, the ball somehow squirmed through the keeper’s grasp and bounced over the line.

This shot by Consett’s Jake Orrell proved too hot for the Richmond keeper to handle. Pic: Gary Welford.

Two minutes later an absolute rocket by Darren Holden almost doubled Consett’s lead, but fizzed wide of the right-hand post.

Richmond had defended well, but on 75 minutes they conceded a second goal. Marriott fed the ball to Callen, whose perfectly-weighted pass saw Lewis Green finish low under the keeper, for his first goal for the club, pictured top.

Richmond almost got a goal back in the 80th minute when their No 9 burst through, but Consett keeper Kyle Hayes, who hadn’t had a lot to do, saved well with his legs.

A minute from the end Carl Lawson almost made it three when he beat his man with a lovely turn and let fly from 25 yards, only to see his shot rattle the crossbar and bounce out, pictured below.

Consett’s Carl Lawson almost made it three, but this shot came back over the crossbar. Pic: Gary Welford.

In the end Consett had to settle for 2-0, but the visitors could head back to North Yorkshire knowing they had made their higher-ranked hosts work hard for the victory.

Consett’s next friendly is a behind-closed-doors game against a Sunderland XI at the Academy of Light on Tuesday night.

On this day in our history: 23 April 1969 – Consett become the first Wearside League club to win the Durham Challenge Cup

Consett made history on this day in 1969 – becoming the first Wearside League club in history to win the Durham Challenge Cup.

The Steelmen had won the famous old trophy four times before, in 1948, 1950, 1959 and 1961, but all those wins were as a professional side.

By the time this final came around, they had reverted to amateur status, which made their county cup final against Northern League opponents Ferryhill Athletic all the more notable.

The match programme noted: “Now they rely on local talent for their team, but they are still a very forceful side to be reckoned with, as Ferryhill will find out tonight.

“Ferryhill, unlike Consett, have not had a very happy time this season. It was mid-way through the season before they chalked up their first win, but since then they have improved a great deal and must be in with a great chance of taking the trophy into the Northern League.

“But whoever carries off the trophy tonight, we can be sure the football served up will be exciting to watch. Both sides have completely different styles of playing, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

“Consett are a more polished outfit, but Ferryhill make up for their lack of finesse with sheer hard work and power, a quality every team manager wants from his team.”

Brian Cunningham made it 1-0 to Consett in the first half.

Sadly, the pre-match hype proved to be just that, and the match itself appeared to be a war of attrition, if contemporary reports are to be believed.

The final was held on a Wednesday night at the Feethams home of Darlington, then in the 4th Division, and, astonishingly, it was Consett’s 11th game in 22 days!

The Consett Guardian carried a picture of the victorious Consett side with the trophy, under the headline: ‘Feethams anti-climax, but ‘Steelmen’ look to Wembley’ – referring to the fact that they fancied a crack at the FA Amateur Cup.

The report said: “Goals by Brian Cunningham and Alan Watson made sure of the county’s most glittering soccer prize, but the game itself was a disappointment.

Alan Watson ensured the trophy would be returning to Consett with a second goal.

“Consett were given very little opportunity to turn on the style by a side too keen on the physical stuff. The result was some very ordinary football for the good crowd who turned up.

The match programme more or less hit the nail on the head. Consett, it said, are the more polished outfit.

The first goal came in a dull first half through TV engineer Cunningham, while Watson hit the seond in the 75th minute.

Consett’s chances had not looked too good at the start because they were without right-winger Doug Morris, but coach Arnold Bell played his trump card when he announced that South Shields centre-forward Brian Slane (who was dual-registered for Consett and the Northern Premier League side) would play.

Darlington’s Feethams ground was the venue for the final.

There was mixed reaction from Consett officials after the game. Chairman Eric Henderson said: “I thought we adopted the right sort of tactics, even if it meant it wasn’t a good game to watch.

“Maybe it was a bit of an anti-climax, but we have had a hard passage through to the final, and I think so long as you win with reasonable tactics, that is what matters most.”

Former chairman Austin Williamson said: “I am pleased we won, but this was the worst game I have seen for two or three seasons.”

Vice-chairman Jack Watson said: “This is what I call real progress. Last year we won the Sunderland Shipowners and the Monkwearmouth. Now we have won the cup which is the toughest competition in the county.
“I think we have got to set our sights on the Amateur Cup. If North Shields can do it, why can’t we? Wembley seems the natural thing to aim for.”

  • Does any supporter have an actual photograph of the Consett team with the trophy? We’d love a copy for our club archives.

On this day in our history: 21 April 1998 – Consett turn back time by lifting the Sunderland Shipowners Cup

Consett won an unusual piece of silverware on this day in 1998, beating Jarrow Roofing 3-0 at Belle Vue Park to lift the Sunderland Shipowners Cup for the first time in 30 years.

Normally the competition is only open to Wearside League clubs, and Consett’s previous win was all the way back in 1968, during our six-year stay in the league.

With this being the competition’s centeneary season, the Wearside League decided to invite clubs from other leagues who had previously been members to participate.

As it turned out, two clubs who had graduated to the Northern League contested the centenary final. Consett had a relatively easy path to the final, beating Horden Athletic 11-0, South Tyneside United 3-1, Marske United 1-0 (all at home) and then Kennek Roker 1-0 away in the semi-final.

A poster advertising the Sunderland Shipowners Cup final v Jarrow Roofing.

Jarrow Roofing, who had never won the cup, but been runners-up in twice, in 1994 and 1995, had accounted for Ryhope CW, Wolviston, Annfield Plain and Chester-le-Street Town.

Consett were 12th in the Northern League’s 1st Division, while Roofing, who were in their first season in the top flight, were 13th, with a point between the sides.

After a great start to the season, which saw them at the top of the league at one point, Consett’s form had fallen away, and they looked likely to finish in the bottom half of the table.

But at least this Tuesday night game gave Consett some silverware to show for their efforts, despite having to field a depleted team agains the Roofers.
They were without regulars Jeff Sugden, Gary Cowley, Mark Outterside, David Gray, Alan Colledge and Colin Woodward, but thoroughly deserved their comprehensive victory.

The match programme for the game.

The first half started evenly but Consett had a good chance after 23 minutes when Steven Robson shot over from a good position after Mark Simms’ cross had been flicked on by Colin McLeod.

After 32 minutes Lee Suddes shot over from seven yards from Darren Grimes’ cross, but a goal wasn’t long in coming, as Consett took the lead after 34 minutes.

Stuart Kelly broke clear and honed in on goal, where keeper Caffry did well to block the shot with his legs. But when Robson returned the ball into the box, McLeod was there to head home under challenge from Caffry. Unfortunately Macca was injured in scoring the goal and took no further part in the match.

Colin McLeod scored Consett’s first goal then had to go off injured.

Roofing’s best period came early in the second half. After 51 minutes, their best player, Haley, shot straight at James Platten. Six minutes later Platten was forced to save at the foot of the post, again from Haley.

But Consett took control with a second goal after 65 minutes. Robson broke away and headed for goal, and as he bore down on the keeper he was clipped from behind by Howe, who was dismissed for his pains.

Lee Suddes stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick, and the Steelmen made the game safe with a third goal after 71 minutes. A misunderstanding between Rogers and Caffry gave Stuart Kelly the easiest of goals as he was left with an empty net.

Consett could have added a fourth after 82 minutes, but Caffry tipped over Steven Brown’s 25-yard free-kick.

The team line-ups page from the match programme.

After the match the magnificent Sunderland Shipowners Cup was presented to Consett captain Colin McLeod. It was the third trophy long-serving manager Colin Carr had delivered in his 10 years in charge, after the 2nd Division championship in 1989, and the League Cup in 1995.

  • Many thanks to Ian Hamilton, club secretary at the time, for the main picture, showing him with the Sunderland Shipowners Cup. Here it is in full.