Play-off win sees Consett promoted
CONSETT will play in the Northern Premier League for the first time in their history after an Inter-League play-off final win at Histon on Saturday.
The decisive moments arrived either side of half-time as Scott Heslop and Dan Marriott put the Steelmen in control and they held on despite Stutes substitute Luke Lindsay halving the deficit with quarter of an hour to go.
Ebac Northern League chairman Glenn Youngman admitted there would be some sadness in seeing one of the league’s long-serving clubs departing for pastures new.
He said: “Congratulations to Consett – we’ll be sorry to see them go.”
Carlisle City claimed the Division Two title on a dramatic final day of the regular season.
The Cumbrians have been in relentless form throughout the final month of the campaign and they carried that right to the end as they saw off Ryton and Crawcrook Albion thanks to goals from Jordan Palmer, Jordan Irving and Aaron Bradbury.
City had one eye on events at Easington Colliery as title rivals Heaton Stannington mounted a late comeback as they threatened to snatch the title.
The Stan went into the final day of the season sitting on top of the table – but their title aspirations looked all but over as two goals in the space of seven second-half minutes from Dylan Elliott and Callum Guy put the Colliers in control.
Liam McBryde gave the Stan some hope and they threatened a dramatic turnaround when a Leighton Hooper penalty got them on level-terms with injurytime approaching.
But what would have been a decisive winner evaded Dean Nicholson’s men and they will now host Easington in a play-off semi-final at Grounsell Park on Wednesday night. Tow Law Town will visit Boldon CA in the other semi-final after a 3-1 home win against Bedlington Terriers.
After 37 defeats and just two points in 39 games this season, Durham City finally won on the final day of a desperately poor campaign as Brandon Turnbull netted in their 1-0 win against Washington. Fellow strugglers Esh Winning also claimed a win as Kieron Beattie got the only goal of their home game against Chester-le-Street Town.