Grantham Town share the spoils at Consett

Northern Premier League East

Consett AFC 2

Grantham Town 2

By Graham Cowell

The Gingerbreads came back with another point from a road trip, but manager Matt Chatfield felt it was not enough.

Grantham battled back from a goal down to earn the draw.

“We didn’t look like we were going to concede in the first half,” said Chatfield. “We conceded two goals to crosses but didn’t look on top until the last 10 minutes. We got a draw, but we need to be winning these games.”

The early exchanges were mainly played between the two penalty areas, with neither side troubling their opposing goalkeeper. Consett moved the ball around well, but the Gingerbreads kept a strong defensive line.

Ashton Hall gave the Gingerbreads the lead from their first corner of the game after 12 minutes. He rose highest at the far post to head powerfully past Ross Coombe.

Grantham looked comfortable, letting Consett play the ball around in front of the Gingerbreads as the home side lacked any real penetration.

Consett were fortunate to keep Kieran Aplin on the field after 20 minutes. Aplin committed a foul that warranted a yellow card. In the aftermath of the foul, he pushed Dan Cocks in the face, but referee Mr Clark chose to ignore that offence.

Declan Bisset looked the brightest for Consett, and on 22 minutes he created their best chance of the first half. He worked hard to create a shooting space, but fortunately for Grantham his curling effort went just wide of Dan Haystead’s right hand post.

As the first half drew to a close, Bisset and Cyril Giraud both had efforts blocked by Grantham defenders as the home side got behind the Gingerbreads back line for the first time in the game.

The second half was only five minutes old when Consett levelled the game. Giraud played the ball wide for Josh Baggs. His deep cross was met by Zac Atkinson's volley that gave Haystead no chance.

Cameron Johnson worked space to play a square ball for Steve Leslie on the hour mark. Leslie hit a low shot that brought a good save from Coombe.

Kieran Hayes and Leslie went close for Grantham shortly after, but the game was turned against Grantham by Atkinson on 73 minutes.

Adam Mitchell and Aplin beat the Grantham defence on the right-hand side and put in another deep cross. This time an unmarked Atkinson met the cross with his head and again beat Haystead.

The Gingerbreads pressed hard to get an equaliser as the game entered the final 10 minutes. Matt Tootle hit a great shot that took a deflection and rattled the post.

But he made no mistake with four minutes remaining. A super cross-field ball from Leslie sent him away on the right. Tootle cut into the area and fired in a low drive that took a deflection on its way past Coombe.

Coombe made two more saves to hold on to a point for his side.

The Gingerbreads had a penalty shout for handball turned down as they threw everything at Consett.

Tootle brought a save from Coombe and then, in injury time, Johnson won a long ball and Hayes fired a shot from 20 yards out that was turned over the crossbar by the home goalkeeper to ensure shared spoils.