Bridlington Town stay in NPL East relegation zone after 4-0 defeat at Consett​

After the victory at Pontefract, Bridlington were high on confidence heading into this clash, writes Alexander Fynn.

Town Head Coach Mike Thompson only made one change to his starting 11 from last week’s 3-2 victory with Tom Allan replacing Josh Barratt due to illness.

Striker Michael Coulson was on the bench returning from injury.

However, it was the hosts that were first to strike as Brandon Holdsworth precisely slotted the ball into the bottom corner through a David Allasan pass.

Allasan doubled Consett’s lead when Charlie Exley fired a through ball to the number 7 and the winger powerfully hit the ball past Seasiders keeper Jack Hall.

With around 20 minutes played the Steelmen made it 3-0 as Holdsworth chipped the ball over the Brid stopper Lewis from a lobbed pass.

The Seasiders struggled with the Consett attack and had to be patient before they had their own first shot on goal as Dan Hartley whipped in a right footed cross to Benn Lewis, but the midfielder headed the ball just over the bar. Brid were forced into a first half substitution when centre back Matty Dixon was replaced by Ahmed Salam due to a tight hamstring.

Sam Leverett had an opportunity to get the Seasiders on the scoresheet as Sam Kay was instrumental with his defence to get the ball back from Consett, the midfielder accurately passed the ball to Leverett, however his shot was agonisingly wide of the post.

Early in the second half, Holdsworth had a chance to complete his hat-trick, Orrell calmly passed the ball to the Consett number 9, but his opportunity rattled off the crossbar.

Mike Thompson rang the changes with a double substitution, Dan Hartley came off for Nathan Dyer and Sam Kay came off for Michael Coulson.

Both men made an immediate impact for the Seasiders as Dyer fired in a cross to the returning striker a superb passage of play with Coulson back heeling the ball to Charlie Winfield, but the number 3 scuffed the ball over the bar. Billy Ripley then replaced striker Danny Earl.

Defender Tom Allan had a chance to score for the Seasiders as Dyer fired in a cross to the middle Allan met the ball, but his shot was over the bar. Coulson also had a chance to find a late consolation as Winfield whipped in a cross to the sub, but Coulson’s header came to nothing.

Consett had the final say in the scoring Matthew Todd was one on one with the Brid number 1 and the substitute made it 4-0 and a miserable afternoon for the Queensgate men.

Thompson said: “It’s a strange one we’ve been beat 4-0 and we’ve played a lot worse and only been beaten 1-0 or 2-1.

"It took us too long to work out the system and how they played, I think when we did that we had more joy, but the only problem was that we were 3-0 down.”

The Seasiders remain in the NPL East relegation zone after this defeat.

This Saturday, Brid Town head back home to the Mounting Systems Stadium to face Sherwood Colliery, who are also sat in the relegation zone.