Consett (Away): Northern League Division 1: Saturday 26th November 2011

Result: Consett 0 Marske United 4     Scorers: Charlton (3), Thompson

Consett’s abysmal record against Marske continued with one of the worst performances of the season at a wind and rain-swept Belle Vue. They couldn't argue about the result, even if the score did flatter the Seasiders, who came with a gameplan and adapted to the conditions better. Kenny Lindoe made one change to the starting XI which beat Northallerton in the League Cup in midweek, recent signing David Molloy coming in for striker Marc Walton. Skipper Carl Piecha was still missing, perhaps with one eye on next week's FA Vase game at Billingham Synthonia, so Jamie Poole filled in at centre-half, with Anthony Lund playing wide on the left and Harrison Davies again on the right.  United unsurprisingly fielded the same side that beat Shildon the previous weekend.

Marske, who started the day two places and two points below Consett, had the game's first opportunity after two minutes when a David Scorer foul gave midfielder Thomas Marron the chance for an attempt at goal from 20 yards out, but his free-kick was saved comfortably by Consett keeper Barry Poskett, diving low to his left. At the other end, Ryan Bell's pass to Michael Mackay was laid off into the path of stand-in skipper Craig Robson, but his 30-yard effort, although well-struck, was straight at visiting keeper Graeme Willey.

The wind, which was swirling around the ground, was always going to have an effect on the game, and Marron again tried his luck with a speculative effort from outside the box which Poskett watched closely before pushing over his bar. Unfortunately for Consett, their No 1 was caught out by the wind from the resulting corner, which allowed Marske to take a 5th-minute lead. He came to claim Karl Charlton's inswinging kick from the right, but stumbled and the ball went straight in.

David Scorer almost forced a mistake from Willey at the other end as he contested a Davies free-kick with the keeper, but a defender was on hand to clear the danger. Left-back David Brown then had a shot from 30 yards after a corner was only half-cleared, but it lacked power and didn't trouble the keeper. Dale Burrell was next to try his luck from long range, but his shot was rising all the time as it cleared the bar.

With the cushion of an early goal, Marske were defending deep and inviting Consett on to them, but too many of the home side's passes were overhit, and their attackers repeatedly strayed offside. It wasn't until the 34th minute that Willey in the visitors' goal had a serious save to make, beating out Davies' fierce 25-yarder after he had played a neat one-two with Burrell.

Another Davies one-two, this time with Mackay, created space for him to loft the ball into space for Lund, charging into the box from the left wing, but his shot under challenge went wide without worrying Willey.

Marske looked dangerous on the break, with centre-forward Danny Brunskill dropping off the centre-backs, and Adam Gell should have done better than scuffing wide one chance which he created, and Charlton lashing another one wide.

Half time: Consett 0 - 1 Marske United

It remained 1-0 to the visitors at half-time, and Consett tried to shake things up for the second 45 by bringing on Walton for Molloy, who was injured in a late challenge. Unfortunately, five minutes into the half, before he had a chance to have any influence on the game, the Steelmen were 2-0 down, and yet again it was a goal of their own making. The back four failed to deal with a long ball forward, and Derek Bradley's flick-on left Charlton with a simple finish past the exposed Poskett.

There was then a five-minute delay while Bell and his opposite number Andrew Raw received treatment after a challenge which saw the Marske man earn himself a booking by arriving a split-second late as the Consett No 2 looked to surge past him, and both players had to be substituted. Walton fancied his chances from the resulting free-kick, and although it was well-struck, it fizzed wide of the left-hand post.

Bell's replacement was Jonjo Dickman, making his first appearance since the Tow Law game on August Bank Holiday Monday, and he took up his usual central midfield position, with Burrell switching to right-back, but it wasn't long before Dale, too, had to retire hurt. With no defenders on the bench, Chris Hutchinson came on, and Consett reverted to a 3-5-2 formation.

Dickman almost marked his 200th appearance for the club with a goal, but his effort from 20 yards flashed wide, and Lund's cross from the byline - the first time Consett had got in behind Marske all afternoon - saw centre-half Mark Taylor put the ball over his own bar, but that was as close as Consett got to scoring, and in truth they had run out of ideas long before the end.

Mackay almost cost his side a goal on 82 minutes by losing possession to substitute Anthony Roberts in midfield. His pass found Bradley in acres of space, but the No 7's effort was clawed out of the air by Poskett, diving to his left. Sadly, the respite wasn't to last long, and two minutes later another gift goal put the game out of Consett's reach. Poole missed a ball forward down the left, Charlton got in behind him, and his hard, low cross from the byline to the front post squirmed through Poskett's grasp and over the line.

Scorer headed over from Dickman's corner as Consett sought a late consolation, but the final word went to the visitors, who made it 4-0 with a minute to go, and again defensive mistakes cost the home side. Scorer's loose pass was picked up by Marske in midfield, and they came forward down the left. Brown failed to clear Bradley's cross into the area, and Benn Thompson was on hand to sweep the ball home from eight yards.

It could have been worse, as Bradley was only just halted by a last-ditch Scorer tackle in added time, but the centre-half seemed to injure himself in the process, which, with Piecha missing this game and Bell and Burrell limping off, could give Consett an injury crisis they could do without going into next week's Vase game at Central Avenue.

Full time: Consett 0 - 4 Marske United

Three wins on the bounce for Marske sees them leapfrog Consett into 15^th place and leaves them nine points above third-bottom Billingham Town.

Teams:

Consett:  Poskett, Bell (Dickman), Brown, Burrell (Hutchinson), Scorer, Poole, Davies, Robson, Molloy (Walton), Mackay, Lund.
Not Used: Ross, Jameson.

Marske United:  Willey, A.Raw (Roberts), Wheatley, Marron, Carling, Taylor, Bradley, Gell, Brunskill (Ormerod), Thompson, Charlton (Jones).
Not Used: J.Burton, McGill.