Five long months ago, Heaton Stannington began this campaign and their Northern League adventure with a baptism of fire against an intense Norton and Stockton Ancients outfit. That day we were perhaps glad to return home with a point after Shaun Backhouse had saved a penalty, though we had many chances to win the game ourselves and ought to have had a spot kick of our own. However, there is no doubt that The Stan were pleased to claim a single point from the return fixture, as Norton & Stockton’s Nicholas Martin proved himself to be the outstanding performer on the day and a contrast threat to the home side from first whistle to the last.

The visitors won the toss and took advantage of the slight breeze and blinding, low sun, necessitating the addition of a cap by returning home keeper Shaun Backhouse. As well as the home custodian, there were several other changes in the home side after last week’s disappointing loss at Grounsell Park to Seaham Red Star. With 21 players available, there were always going to be several disappointed squad members who couldn’t even get a place on the bench, but this is the nature of the squad game in a long, tiring season. In the end, Mark Davision came back into the side for only his second game of the season, the other being the entertaining 5-2 win at Esh Winning in early November. Making his second debut for the club in midfield was Paul Mills, while Karl Donaghey was named on the bench.

A very tight opening period saw Backhouse called into action to tip away a high, hanging cross by Dale Mulligan after 17 minutes, the ball being scrambled away for a corner. However, the play soon switched to the other end and Heaton Stannington took the lead with a well worked goal. The returning Darrly Leach worked hard to claim the ball in midfield, before slotting a perfect through ball for Jonathan Wright; the prolific striker turned the away defenders inside out, before calmly stroking a low right foot finish past keeper Knights from around 16 yards.

If the home team believed this meant the floodgates would soon open, they were mistaken, as within 5 minutes the visitors well level. Tricky Nicholas Martin spun on a sixpence in the box, shrugging off the attentions of The Stan defence, before poking a low shot past the despairing dive of Backhouse. Almost immediately Wright could have restored the home team’s lead, but he broke a fraction of a second early and his sublime chipped finish was ruled out by a correct offside flag and the sides went in level.

The second half was almost all Norton & Stockton, with Backhouse being twice called upon to make first class saves from Martin and then Mitchell, who was also denied a winner by a correct offside flag in the dying minutes. However, Norton had keeper Knights to thank for two point blank saves from Wright volleys in succession, which could have won the game for the home side. In the end, the spoils were unsatisfactorily shared, as the race for the final promotion slot from Division 2 becomes ever more intriguing and impossible to call.

Stan Team:

Subs:

Goals: Wright 26.

Yellow Cards: Davison.

Attendance: 120.

Kevin Mochrie