There could be no complaints from Whitley over the outcome of a game in which Consett always posed the greater threat.

The result left Consett favourites to finish second behind Durham City, with all three sides well ahead of the chasing bunch.

From the start the home side looked the more lively but Whitley did go close with six minutes played when Chris Moore crossed from the right and Lee Kerr fired the ball wide of goal.

A neat, incisive move by Consett created the opening goal after 14 minutes with Dickman crossing from the right for lethal striker Mattie Moffat to send a low shot past Terry Burke into the bottom corner of the net.

Whitley retaliated with Paul Chow breaking quickly down the middle, but his early shot from the edge of the penalty area flew over the bar.

A minute later Paul Robinson hit a shot straight at keeper Paul Gilmore.

Just before the half hour, Consett might have doubled their lead when Steven Johnson found himself clear on goal but he volleyed well over the bar.

Then shortly before the interval, Kerr briefly escaped the attention of a strong home defence and his cross from the left was blocked by Gilmore just ahead of Paul Chow.

Soon after the restart, Whitley were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position some 20 yards out, but Robinson's shot was easily saved by the keeper.

Five minutes later the home side got the second and decisive goal when Moore was dispossessed ten yards out as he attempted to clear a Consett free kick.

David Pounder seized the ball and beat Burke with a low shot across the face of goal.

In an effort to get back in the game, Whitley made substitutions, bringing on Brian Rowe, Lee Picton and Dean Douglas, but they were unable to change the course of the game and there was little to trouble the Steelmen's goalkeeper Paul Gilmore.

In one rare break, Kerr did well to turn past Piecha, who had been giving him no space at all, but his shot from ten yards went over the bar.

A difficult, bumpy playing surface with patches of long grass did not suit Whitley's style of play, and although they forced several corners late on, they did not create any clear cut chances.

Consett's defenders were always in control, and with Moffat up front the home side were a constant threat to the Bay defence.

On a day when chances were at a premium, the last opportunity for Whitley to get back in the game came seven minutes from time when Moore drove a fierce shot goalwards but Consett captain David Johnson deflected it over the bar for a corner.

The significance of defeat in this crucial game was that Consett leapfrogged above Whitley into second place, one point ahead with both sides having just one game to play.

If they are to take the runners-up spot, Whitley will need to beat champions Durham City at Hillheads on Tuesday and hope that Consett fail to beat Newcastle Benfield in their final game the following night.

This is perhaps an unlikely scenario but not very different to the situation ahead of the final games of last season.

Whitley Bay: Burke, Taylor (Rowe 7 6mins), Minto (Douglas 64 mins), Woodhouse, Coulson, Graham (Picton 53 mins), Moore, Robson, Kerr, Chow, Robinson.