Recap

Bradley Fewster stole the headlines with a well-taken treble, as Redcar Athletic held on to pip Consett for a place in the Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round.

The forward dealt the decisive blow minutes into the second period, completing a first competitive hat-trick in the red and navy with his seventh of the season.

Former Redcar favourite Isaac Walker notched his inevitable goal to bring Consett back into the tie, Liam Colledge’s scrappy second falling just short of forcing a replay come the final whistle.

Strangers to Emirates FA Cup success, Redcar Athletic enjoyed by far the brighter start, two to the good inside the opening exchanges.

A harsh offside call spurned Adam Boyes’ chance to take the plaudits for the lead, Curtis Round’s cross bundled into the back of the net seconds later by none other than Bradley Fewster.

Redcar soon celebrated a second through Mark Anderson, the midfielder played though on goal and composed with his finish, but denied solely by the linesman’s raised flag.

Anderson’s disappointment wasn’t to last, his through ball to the feet of Bradley Fewster calmly tucked away at the near post to make for a comfortable lead.

Redcar’s dominance persisted through to the half, Mark Anderson twice finding the gloves of James Anderson from deep, Curtis Round to meet the same fate with a venomous drive from out on the left.

Perhaps somewhat less in control of possession, Redcar and Bradley Fewster’s third came ten minutes from the restart of play, Anderson again the architect as the forward applied the simple finish.

In the most inevitable moment of the afternoon, clever footwork from Isaac Walker saw the former Redcar man pull one back for the home side, the goal marking a clear shift in the direction of the tie.

Consett took the upper hand in almost every aspect of play, enjoying a monopoly on possession, a string of chances, and the bulk of the second balls.

Liam Colledge gave the other Steelmen’s hopes that little more credibility with twenty to play, poking home a loose ball to draw the tie to within one.

A rare foray into the Consett half, Jack Blackford lifted the ball over the backline in search of the hat-trick hero, his tame effort far from troubling for a stooping James Anderson.

At the other end, quick reactions from Josh Mazfari proved all that prevented a replay, the shot-stopper on hand to deny Ben Ramsay, rising to his feet to claim a follow-up from Kieren Aplin.

Just a second victory in the Emirates FA Cup in Redcar Athletic’s short history, Northern Premier League outfit Pontefract Collieries now await in the Preliminary Round, a welcome away trip to come in the next two weeks.

Steelmen: Mazfari, Cann, Risbrough, Liddle, Guru, Lay, Blackford (Thomson 90+1’), Anderson, Fewster (Watts 87’), Boyes, Round

Goal Scorers: Bradley Fewster (7’, 12’, 55’)

Next Match: West Allotment Celtic (a) | Tuesday 6th August 2024