I’m almost too embarrassed to write this report; considering that after 58 minutes on Saturday February 22nd South Shields were 2-0 up and cruising to victory, this really shouldn’t have been a comfortable home win for The Stan. However, Lee Johnson went up for a header in the centre circle and the rest, including a 45 minute wait for an ambulance, the abandoning of the original game and the rescheduling of the fixture, is history. Strangely enough, the crowd for the first game was a very healthy 123, whilst tonight’s was even more impressive when 141 came to Grounsell Park.

What the assembled throng witnessed was nothing less than a highly accomplished home win by an impressive Stan outfit, where every single one of the players on the park made a superb contribution to the win. The bare statistics show that the two goals were scored by Jonathan Wright, who now has 37 for The Stan this season, including 10 from the penalty spot. Wright’s first came after 18 minutes when he turned and fired home from the edge of the area. His second came after 33 minutes when, running on to an astute through ball from Kevin Carr, he was brought down in the area. Wright picked himself up and fired a ferocious penalty low past the despairing dive of Jak Wells.

To their credit, South Shields did not lie down and Colin White struck the outside of the post with a good shot. They also had a reasonable shout for a penalty turned down. In the second period, despite a period of dominance occasioned by the prodigious throws of Ben Riding requiring the home defence to be on their mettle, no real opposition chances were created. Consequently, The Stan remained in charge for most of the game, with Wright being denied by Wells on two occasions, once with the aid of the bar, as well as firing wide in two other instances. The best move of the game saw Carr feed Anthony Johnson, whose lay off was fired just wide by Lawrence McKenna. After this, the game drifted to a tame conclusion and the points, however they were accrued, were Heaton’s as The Stan moved up to 75 points; an impressive total with 3 games to go.

Stan Team: Backhouse, Telford, Hoggins, Blakey, McGarrigal, Wear, Carr, Johnson L., Wright, McKenna, Weekes.

Subs: Johnson A., Fulcher, Walker, James. (Unsure who was used)

Goals: Wright 18, 33 (pen)

Attendance: 141.

Kevin Mochrie