At a wintery Consett (their summer was one day in June), the Stan hoped to win a second FA cup tie in one season for only the second time with the only other occasion (when they won 3) being in 1949. Instead though, they were blown off the road to Wembley by both the gale force winds and Division 1 Consett. There were 2 changes from Saturday with Dixon and Johnson replacing Ray and Chapman and a section of the Stan Army, who had undertaken their high-altitude training in advance at Cow Hill on the moor, travelled to a match for the first time in a mini bus.

The Stan started with the wind behind them but it was so strong that it acted as a disadvantage as the ball kept blowing away on the 3G pitch and wouldn’t even keep still for corners to be taken. For Consett, the wind actually helped to an extent as it held the ball up for them. Even so, the Stan should have taken advantage of 5 corners in the first 10 minutes. The first one saw a Laidler shot deflected for another corner from which Johnson couldn’t control the ball in the wind. It was almost all Stan until now and they had their in 10 minutes when Wear got up to powerfully head a corner ball just wide. 

Consett then had their first effort which Smith parried. Smith then got the ball from the resulting corner before sending a wind assisted ball up which was headed out for a corner. From it, Consett hit the ball over the bar under pressure. In 13 minutes, against the run of play, a Stan defender missed the incoming ball which allowed MacKay to shoot but although Smith made a good block Sweet scored from the rebound. 

The Stan kept attacking and the keeper did well to catch Dixon’s cross in 18 minutes. Consett should have scored again in 25 minutes when a ball from the left went along the Stan goal line but was missed by the home forwards. The Stan had 4 more consecutive attacks including Imray breaking free but shooting over. 

Consett hit the post in 32 minutes and 3 minutes later Johnson shot just wide. Smith then made a great save before the Stan countered and Johnson shot just wide under pressure. In 38 minutes, Hoggins replaced the injured Robinson. 2 minutes later, a home counter attack saw Smith make a great block but the rebound shot by MacKay saw Consett go 2-0 up even though the linesman had his flag up. 

The Stan then attacked and Johnson was kicked in the box but nothing was given. Both sides continued to try to attack but it ended 2-0 at half time.

The wind dropped a bit for the second half which saw Jones replace Dixon. Consett attacked straight away and Smith had to make a save followed by the rebound shot hitting the post when it looked like going in. The Stan had 2 attacks but the Steelmen were 3-0 up in 50 minutes when Smith blocked, Stoddart cleared on the line but the ball came in again and Sweet tapped it into the net. 

The game then quietened down for a while with Smith only having to make 2 saves in the next 10 minutes and the wind was still disrupting play on both sides. The Stan finally had another attack on 61 minutes when Holland crossed to Hoggins on the 6-yard line but he put his effort across the goal. He regained the ball but put it into the side netting.

In 64 Smith made a block and 2 minutes later a Stan attack resulted in a corner which was cleared. Hoggins then had 2 efforts over and 1 blocked by the wind before Chapman shot over. After a period of Stan dominance, it was back to Consett attacks with Smith having to make 3 saves in a row. 

In 75 minutes the Stan had a free kick into the box that was missed by everyone. A minute later it was all over for the Stan when a home attack saw 2 blocks but then the ball was blasted into the net from the edge of the box by Lawrence. In the 79th minute the Stan had a sustained attack which ended in a Jones shot being blocked. Consett then shot wide before Smith made a great save from an unmarked home player’s effort. 

In 84 minutes Laidler sent a great ball into the box but Hoggins missed it. The last 5 minutes saw the Stan mainly with their backs to the wall and Smith had to make 2 good saves.

The Wembley dream now relies on the Vase route and a wind-swept Dekka admitted they were beaten by a good side but that the team had done well in sections of the game.

Heaton Stannington: Smith, Stoddart, Dixon (Jones 46), Wear, Deagle, Imray, Holland, Johnson, Robinson (Hoggins 38), McKenna (Chapman 60), Laidler. 

Subs Not Used: Yates, Ray. 

Attendance: 349.

Kevin Mochrie