BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA v CONSETT

(FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round)

It is been a few years since the Cup Run began at Central Avenue, but August is the best month to visit the Billingham ground - any later in the year and a cold wind whistles in from the Tees estuary. Today the sun shines and the breeze is merely fresh as the teams warm up.

The new season sees big changes at Billingham Synthonia. After the club was relegated last season for only the second time ever, long term (21 years at the helm) Chairman Stuart Coleby has stood down and new leadership is in place. Support for the new regime, led by Chairman David Hillerby, however is not unanimous, and at 2.57 a banner is unfurled on the far touchline saying “Hillerby Mafia Out”; at 2.58 it is removed by manager Conrad Hillerby.

As for opponents Consett, they have started comfortably in the first division of the Northern League and, in another reminder of Synthonia’s decline, they field at centre forward Michael Sweet – who last season was Billingham’s leading scorer and player of the year.

After a cagey start to the game both goals are briefly threatened; in fact the Consett goal begs for mercy as a good Synthonia move down the right produces a precision cross that finds centre forward Jamie Clarke in the clear six yards out. His header is too deliberately downward and bounces up and over the bar. Clarke’s next involvement is to draw a foul 25 yards out; his free kick is on target but Consett keeper Jeffries has time to kneel down and gather the powder puff shot.

By the half hour Consett are in control. Synthonia can’t keep possession and so are pushed back repeatedly, but the defence stands firm and at half time there is no score.

The second half opens as a more even contest, rather due to the visitors losing their rhythm than the home team improving. And again Consett come closest to conceding, as a near own goal is clawed away by the keeper. But from then on it is increasingly Consett on the attack with Synthonia relying on their five man back line to hold firm.

With ten minutes left, phase two of Synthonia’s game plan is revealed when a second forward is brought on as a substitute in a bid to snatch a win. It doesn’t quite work, but neither can Consett take advantage of the additional space in midfield, so it ends, as it started, at nil – nil, and a replay in mid-week will be needed to determine whose cup run will continue.