After three successive defeats, Heaton Stannington got their season back on track with a hard-fought but ultimately fully merited away success against fellow Northern League returnees Willington at the historic Hall Lane ground, where the superb welcome from the hosts was as much appreciated as the air of history and tradition that the famous old stadium in steeped in.

With Dean Deagle, Paul Blakey, Lee Johnson, Johnny Mann and Brian Dodsworth unavailable for a combination of injury and personal reasons and Ben Wood moving down to the bench, this was a much changed Stan line-up that saw Joseph Fulcher, Ben Telford, Anthony Johnson and Darryl Leach all making starts and the legendary Gary Yates return from a brief retirement to demonstrate in his late cameo from the bench that form is temporary, but class is permanent; once he’d remembered to put a shirt on that is.

Captain Joe Wear only just made kick-off, arriving so late that Assistant Manager and Secretary Geoff Walker was required to add the role of Valet Parking Expert to his portfolio of roles in the club. Such a vast array of changes in personnel had no discernible negative effect in the early exchanges, but Jonathan Wright’s usual range-finder flashing over the bar in the opening moments. 

Wright’s next effort was considerably more accurate and devastatingly effective in its outcome. The Stan number 9 accepted a short pass from the excellent Darryl Leach and allowed the ball to run across his body before turning and firing a low left foot shot under the dive of Willington keeper Christopher Sawyer to give the visitors the lead after 8 minutes.

Unfortunately, this was not a lead The Stan protected particularly successfully as Chris Hardy drew the home side level on 15 minutes. A needless foul near the touchline by Lee Chapman saw a long ball fired to the back post, where hesitation and indecisive defending allowed an unmarked Hardy to accept a cross and head home unchallenged in the centre of the goal. It was a bad goal to concede, but The Stan did not allow themselves to be rattled and the returning Ben Telford, who was the stand-out performer on the night for Heaton, almost gave the visitors a 2-1 lead when he accepted a flick from Wright and sent in an effort that Sawyer did well to block. The ball ran loose and Wright hit it towards goal, but it was scrambled away from the line by desperate Willington defending.

The hosts asserted themselves in the period before and after half time, with a ragged looking Stan desperately hanging on at times, as well as being indebted to Shaun Backhouse who made a smart stop with his legs from the advancing Liam Whitworth to keep the scores level at the break. 

In the second period, following the introduction of Ben Wood for the injured Anthony Johnson, Willington again were in the ascendancy, but some redoubtable defending, allied to large slices of luck saw The Stan keep themselves in the game.

The turning point was on the hour, when Ben Telford’s thunderous effort from 30 yards came back off the crossbar with Sawyer beaten. From that point on, the hosts failed to threaten, despite still gaining good possession and much territorial advantage. 

Consequently, it was of no surprise when the visitors grabbed the winner just after the midpoint in the half. A superb through ball by Gary Dixon gave Ben Telford a clear run on goal and, despite the keeper’s best efforts; he accepted this chance with relish to slot the ball into the corner. The Stan professionally closed the game out, allowing the return of veteran Yates from the bench to demonstrate his trademark array of neat touches and intelligent running. A great win!

Heaton Stannington: Unknown.

Subs:

Goals: Wright 9, Telford 67.

Yellow Cards: G. Dixon, Weeks, Wright.

Attendance: 94.

Kevin Mochrie