Shildon AFC played their penultimate home game of the season against Consett on Saturday 15th April and in an entertaining and high scoring match, they ran out worthy 6-3 winners.
Kicking with a strong wind behind them in the opening period, Shildon took the lead on 17 minutes when Jordan Lavery fouled Billy Greulich-Smith in the box and Shildon left-back, Matty Robson, who has become the side’s regular penalty taker in recent months, scored from the spot kick.
Just before the break the Railwaymen doubled their lead when free kick specialist Lewis Wing fired a trademark dead ball past keeper Ross Coombe from 25 yards.
With the second half just two minutes old, it was Consett’s turn to take advantage of the wind and the deficit was halved when Jordan Lavery’s free kick from way out beat Shildon’s giant stopper, Nick Liversedge.
But immediately from the restart, Shildon when down the other end and Sam Hodgson scored the goal of the game, thundering an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards.
With just ten minutes remaining it looked like Shildon had secured the points, but remarkably, less than half the game’s goals had yet been scored.
A cross from the left found Consett’s Daniel Craggs, and his powerful header brought the visitors back into the game for a second time.
But the pattern was also repeated by the home side, who promptly headed down the other end and restored their two-goal advantage within a minute through Lewis Wing, who turned and fired in a great volley from close range.
Four minutes later, Adam Burnicle added a fifth for Shildon to surely put the game out of sight with just fine minutes remaining.
But back came Consett to reduce the deficit once more when a cross from Jordan Nellis found Lewis Teasdale for an easy tap in.
Fans would have been forgiven for thinking they were trapped in some kind of Groundhog Day-style loop when, just a minute later, Micky Rae ran through and fired into the bottom corner to restore Shildon’s three-goal lead.
Remarkably, five goals had been scored in just eight minutes. Even more remarkably, every time Consett scored, Shildon retaliated and scored just a minute later.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
