Dunston UTS 3 Consett 2

Northern League Division One
3rd January 2015
Dunston UTS 3
Consett 2
Att 203

Dunston start the new year by entertaining Consett in this Ebac Northern League fixture. This is the third time the teams have met this season with Dunston winning both previous encounters, in the League Cup 2 - 1 and in the away League game 3 - 1. Both matches were entertaining affairs so this one is expected to be very close. Consett are currently well established in mid-table while Dunston are in 4th position. Dunston have Andy Bulford, Gareth Williams and David Coulson on the bench while Liam Connell and Craig Hodgson are both improving on the injury front as the manager Billy Irwin is preparing his side for the FA Vase Tie against Heanor Town in two weeks time.

 

Dunston started strongly and in the first minute Consett’s keeper Barry Poskett tried to clear but Dan Wilson blocked the ball and played it to Lee McAndrew who then played in the centre-forward but Wilson’s effort went just wide. A minute later Dale Burrell powered in a 25 yard shot which went wide of the post. On 5 minutes Wilson turned on the edge of the box after Stephen Harrison had played a through ball, but his shot was well saved by Poskett.

On 8 minutes McAndrew put in a deep cross to the back post which Poskett had to punch clear. Dunston grabbed the lead on 12 minutes as Dan Halliday made a great run before putting in a deep cross to Harrison at the back post, his header across goal found Dan Wilson who made no mistake from 6 yards. 1 – 0 to Dunston.

Dunston were in complete control and were restricting the Consett forwards to rare glimpses of the Dunston area. On 15 minutes a dangerous Harrison corner saw Dan Smith attacking it at the back post where his shot was blocked. Consett got their first chance in the 28th minute when a cross by Adam Nicholls was safely collected by Andy Clark. A minute later, Dunston went two up as Lee McAndrew beat his man and crossed deep to the back post. Poskett managed to push the ball out to the edge of the penalty area where Dale Burrell met it and hammered a shot into the back of the net. 2 – 0 to Dunston.



 

On 33 minutes Consett got their first real break as ex-Hartlepool player Michael Mackay was played in, but his powerful shot on target was well blocked by Andy Clark who spread his body well. Despite this let-off, Dunston continued to control the game up until the half-time whistle.

 

Half-Time score: 2 - 0

 

 

Both sides made substitutions at half-time with Nicky Kane replacing Dale Burrell who had received a first-half caution. Consett's captain Dan Madden, who had suffered a back injury just before the break, was replaced by Scott Martindale. Consett started more positively went on the attack as they looked to reduce the defecit. On 50 minutes Luke Sullivan got on the end of a chipped pass by Mackay and his flick sent the ball over the advancing Andy Clark. Stephen Harrison raced back in an attempt to clear but was just unable to stop the ball from going in. 2 – 1 to Dunston. Dunston tried to rebuild after this set-back but the loss of Dale Burrell who had been their first-half driving force had obviously blunted their attacking options.

On 57 minutes a poor clearance on the half-way line was blocked and immediately played up to Michael Mackay who advanced and hammered a terrific 20-yard angled shot into the far top corner of the Dunston net for the equaliser. 2 – 2. Dunston were shell-shocked but recovered immediately as Dan Smith crossed for Gary Ormston whose header was well saved by Poskett. On the hour a Harrison free-kick found Wilson who headed just over.

On 68 minutes Dunston had strong penalty appeals turned down when Poskett clattered into Gary Ormston as the midfielder’s header was cleared off the Consett line. On 69 minutes a McAndrew cross-cum-shot went just past the far post and a minute later Nicky Kane had a shot from 15 yards just wide of the near post. Dunston were back in control and on 74 minutes Kane played in McAndrew whose shot was deflected over the bar for a corner. On 75 minutes Consett retaliated as ex-Dunston player Danny Craggs put in a tantalising cross which Clark collected. Dunston replied with Dixon playing McAndrew in, he continued his run to the by-line but was unable to get in his cross as the defenders closed him down. A minute later Nicky Kane was put through and looked a certain scorer only to be denied by a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Scott Martindale.

 

 

Consett were not totally out of the game and replied with a cross into the front post by right-back Chris Moore which was quickly cleared. On 84 minutes Wilson was again played in but an alert Poskett cleared the danger with a brave block. A minute later Dan Wilson was again played in and despite being pulled back he recovered his balance and powered on to take the ball wide of Poskett and shot the ball into the net. 3 - 2 to Dunston.

On 86 minutes Ben Cattanach had to back-track and did well to rise and head clear an attempted long ball to Sullivan before Wilson broke through again but this time he was clearly pulled down by last defender Carl Piecha on the edge of the box as he broke clear. Piecha was shown a red card for preventing a goal scoring opportunity. Stephen Harrison took the free-kick and fired it wide of the far post. As the final whistle approached Luke Sullivan was fouled 25 yards out and Consett’s Calvin Smith took the free-kick which Clark calmly collected in the air and averted the final danger.

Final Score: Dunston UTS  3   Consett  2
 

Dunston Man of the Match: Dan Wilson who scored two good goals and lead the front line well. Lee McAndrew also did well and kept on producing dangerous crosses into the Consett area.

Dunston UTS.. Clark, Harrison, Halliday, Burrell (45mins Kane), Cattanach, Gilhespy, Smith, Ormston, Wilson, Dixon (Cpt), McAndrew. Subs not used, Bulford, Williams, Coulson, Wightman. Cautions Burrell. 

 

Consett: Poskett, Moore, Craggs, Wright, Piecha, Madden (Martindale), Chapim, Smith, Sullivan, Mackay, Nichols (Gray). Subs not used: Brown, Cole.

Referee, J. Simpson. Assistants, M. Conroy and D. Watson.
.
71 Match Pictures ... As Slideshow View Here or as album View Here

Match report by Tom Clark
.
Next Game.. League Fixture, 10th January away to Marske United, 3pm Kick Off.