Consett v Bishop Auckland

Recap

Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Saturday 6th August 2017

Consett AFC 3-3 Bishop Auckland

Team: Robinson, Hart (66 mins Lovegreen), Hoganson, Gilhespy, Hall, Griffiths, Jury, Bennett, Moffat (60 mins Fairley), Ward, Goundry

Subs Unused: Williamson, McAloon, Johnson, Dawson

Goalscorers: Moffatt 2, Ward

Man of the Match: Luke Gilhespy

Bishop kicked their 2017/18 season off with an FA Cup Extra Preliminary round tie vs Consett at the Belle View Stadium, a place which has not provided a happy hunting ground for the Two Blues since Consett moved there in 2013.

Bishop’s gave competitive debut’s to Carl Robinson, Luke Gilhespy, Daryll Hall and Matty Moffat, the conditions at the Belle View Stadium were always going to impact the game with a very strong wind blowing towards one end of the ground.

It was Bishop who had the wind with them in the first half, the game started at good pace with both sides winning early corner which came to nothing. It was Bishops who broke the deadlock first when in the 6th minute Matty Moffat disposed the Consett goal keeper and slotted the ball in to an empty net to put the Two Blues in to an early 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later the lead was nearly doubled when Griffiths hit a thumping shot just wide of the Consett left hand post.

Robinson produced a smart save in the Bishop goal to prevent Consett pulling the game level in the 12th minute.

But in the 17th minute Consett did equalise when Sweet struck the ball home to make the game 1-1, two minutes later Consett had a shot cleared of the Bishop goal line to prevent them from going ahead in the game.

On 27 minutes a high ball delivered in to the Consett box by Bennett was headed home by Ian Ward to give the Blues a 2-1 lead. Bishop’s only had to wait 5 more minutes when their lead was extended even further, a great whipping ball in to the box by right back Hart was converted on the volley by Moffat for his second of the game 3-1 to Bishop.

A few minutes later Robinson produced another smart stop which need a Bishop defender to clear off the goal line to preserve the 2-goal lead. Minutes later Consett had the ball in the Bishop net but the goal wouldn’t stand due to a foul in the build-up on Robinson.

Bishop left the field at half time with a 2-goal advantage but the players and supporters knew that this game was far from over due to the conditions.

HT – Consett AFC 1 – 3 Bishop Auckland

No real action in the first 15 minutes of the second half, Moffat was forced off on 60 minutes to an injury to his foot and was replaced by James Fairley, 6 minutes later Bishop made another change this time the young full back Hart making way for Matty Lovegreen.

Consett looking the more threatening then reduced the lead on 69 minutes when the ball wasn’t cleared from the Bishop box Elliott squared for Michael Mackay to stab home to make the score 2-3 3.

Six minutes later the scores were level when Sweet added his second of the game for a corner, they were big shouts for a foul on the Bishop keeper Robinson, they were waved away and the tie was now in the balance.

At this stage, it was all Consett and in the 85th minute they had a big shout for a penalty after what looked like a handball by a Bishop defender but it wasn’t given.

Four minutes of added time was played and Bishop held on for the draw which means both sides will have to do it all again this coming Wednesday at Heritage Park where the game must be decided.

In truth, a draw was a fair reflection of the game and neither side could complain with the outcome.

FT – Consett AFC 3 – 3 Bishop Auckland