Consett 3-1 Ryhope CW: Ryhope fall to league leaders
Consett continued their promotion charge as they beat a resilient Colliery Welfare team at the Belle View Stadium.
Dan Capewell opened the scoring on seven minutes for the home side before Danni Lay grabbed an equaliser four minutes later.
The away side started the second half brightly with Luke Carr scoring six minutes after the restart.
Carr got his second and Consett’s third in the 71st minute to claim all three points for the home side.
Consett had only lost two games at home this season whilst Gary Pearson’s side’s only away defeat this season came against Sunderland RCA in July.
Pearson made two changes from the side that drew to Northallerton last time out with Christopher Trewick and leading goal scorer James Ellis returning to the starting eleven.
The home side started the brighter of the two teams as when on six minutes Colin Larkin’s effort from the corner was blocked, Capewell was able to get a head to a loose ball in the box to give Consett the lead.
The lead didn’t last for long as after a perfectly executed corner routine, Lay was able to get on the end of an Ellis cross to tap in an equaliser at the back post on eleven minutes.
Forward Robbie Bird had a couple good chances for the away side with his effort from distance forcing a good save from Kyle Hayes and a deflected effort almost creeping in at the front post.
In the 42nd minute Consett had a good chance for a second as Luke Carr found space on the edge of the box but put his effort wide of the post as the teams went in at the interval level.
As in the first half Consett started well and again got a goal six minutes into the half as Matthew Ridley got on the end of a Carr corner to send his towering header into the top corner of the goal.
Ryhope produced a great tackle and save to deny Consett a third. Firstly, Mathew Wade’s last-ditch tackle on Carr was able to send the ball over the bar whilst James Winter’s improvised save was able to keep out Larkin’s half-volley effort.
Consett found a way through the Ryhope backline to get their third as quick feet from Carr allowed him to move past the Ryhope defence and put his shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Good pressing play from Oscar Taylor presented Lay with a chance as his chipped effort over the keeper was only denied by the post.
Consett had more chances to strengthen their lead in the final minutes of the game but were unable to add a fourth.
After the game Ryhope manager Gary Pearson admitted he was unhappy at his side’s start to the game “I’m disappointed with conceding in the first five minutes of the game against the corner
“It was a well worked corner, but we didn’t react quick enough when the ball was bouncing around the box.”
He added that his side matched their opponents in the first half “first half I couldn’t really complain much. I think it was a 50/50 half.
“The second half was disappointing we mentioned at half-time the first five minutes and defending corners and then we fail to deal with the corner and concede.”
Pearson praised the opposition but admitted his side could have done better to not concede, “Consett are a fantastic team. It’s a great club here and they play some lovely football.
“Only grumble I can have, is the fact that the goals against were avoidable. I can’t grumble at how we addressed the game and how we competed in the game.”
Ryhope’s next game is in the Durham Challenge Cup quarter finals when they take on National League North side Spennymoor Town.
Pearson previewed the game, “I can’t wait for the game, I love the Durham Challenge Cup and I’ve got a lot of personal connections with the club
“We’re expecting a mix of young talent coming through and some very experienced players to be dropping in,
“It’ll be a good opportunity and it’ll show us where we’re at.”
