A combination of a pleasant spring afternoon and two teams with little to play for other than a couple more points on the league table was always likely to produce a game with a laid back and relaxed feel to it and by and large that’s what the crowd at Belle Vue Park got. There were a few harsh comments from the home supporters and players towards the end when Tech came close to pulling off what would have been an unlikely victory but on the whole the game proceeded at quite a leisurely tempo with the home team deservedly taking the spoils.

Victory against a team that had at one point looked like a contender for promotion was always going to be tough for Tech and given the fact that the squad that left Wiltshire Way early on Saturday afternoon was missing some of it’s most important components, it would have been fair to predict an avalanche of points for the home team. The extent of Tech’s problems was summed up by the fact that veterans John Dove and Peter Robinson had to take up places on the bench. When the average age of your three substitutes is in the late 40’s and one of the three subs is a 25 year old (David Cheshire) you know you are on your knees!

That Tech managed to keep the score to just 31-17 was a credit to the team that took to the field on Saturday. In fact Tech competed admirably for much of the match and were always within touching distance of their hosts until injury time thanks to the accurate boot of James Masshedar who slotted four penalties and some lousy indiscipline from a Consett side that was marched back an extra 10 metres on numerous occasions for giving the referee not so much a piece of their mind but pretty much all of it following penalties.

But in all honesty the home team were worthy winners and ran in five tries to their opponents one. Tech have struggled to convert pressure into points for much of the season and without the talismanic duo of Kevin Cook and Stephen Stockdale even their potent rolling maul and forward play in general lacked much of the bite that has helped them record victories this season.

The visitors took the lead as early as the fourth minute when Masshedar converted a penalty following an infringement at a ruck. This lead lasted only seven minutes though. Having worked their way out of their own 22, Tech secured good ball and Paul Williamson looked to chip the ball ahead. From the sidelines it looked like a dubious decision and sure enough centre Hull charged the ball down and won the race to the touchdown.

With the game failing to develop a flowing rhythm it seemed unlikely that anyone would add to the score before the break but on 24 minutes Tech did move back into the lead when Masshedar bagged his second penalty of the afternoon.

It was then Tech who took hold of the game, albeit without ever looking like breaking through the Consett defence, but the majority of possession and territory was being enjoyed by themselves. It was therefore irksome for the blues when on 38 minutes Consett added their second try when speedy winger Vlok broke through some weak tackling to score in the corner. De Beer added an excellent conversion. There was still time though for Masshedar to reduce the gap to 12-9 with his third penalty, and he then took his tally to four early in the second half to level the match.

But despite the even score line, Consett always seemed more likely to score the tries and just minutes after Tech had levelled the scores the hosts produced some sublime passing and movement to send number 8 Armitt under the posts for a great try.

But Consett’s inability to close the match and some foolish muttering to the referee by hooker Hunter-which would see him spend 10 minutes in the bin-meant that Tech were still in the hunt and when skipper Steve Jones drew three defenders to clear space for replacement David Cheshire to go over in the corner for an unconverted try it was game on.

But Consett held firm and despite having another man sent to the bin, this time for not rolling away, two tries in the dying minutes of the match from Hunter, who scored following a clever dummy from himself, and fly half Lowery sealed the match for Belle Vue outfit.

Consett 31

Tries: Hull (10), Vlok (38), Armitt (55), M Hunter (80), Lowery (80)

Cons: De Beer (38, 55, 82)

Tech 17

Try: Cheshire (67)

Pens: Masshedar (4, 24, 40, 53)

Consett

Jarvis, Vlok, Hull, Kent (c), Griffiths, Lowery, De Beer, Pertoon, M Hunter, P Dixon, Jackson, Rowbothom, Wells, Stephenson, Armitt, Subs used: Harrison, Tailford, Subs not used: P Hunter

Scrums 7, Attacking scrums 1, Scrums won on own put in 7, Scrums lost on own put in 0, Pens awarded 2, Kicked at goal 0, Kicked for touch 2, Ran 0, Lines won on own throw 9, Lines lost on own throw 2

Sin Bin: M Hunter (61), Tailford (71)

Tech

Masshedar, Knight, Jones (c), Parker, Brown, P Williamson, C Williamson, Palmer, A Dixon, Thompson, Vincent, Jukes, Smart, Robson, Howard, Subs used: Cheshire, Subs not used: Dove, Robinson

Scrums 8, Attacking scrums 0, Scrums won on own put in 6, Scrums lost on own put in 2 (0 against head), Pens awarded 17, Kicked at goal 5 (1 miss), Kicked for touch 11, Ran 1, Lines won on own throw 18, Lines lost on own throw 1