Brandon United became the first club Heaton Stannington completed their pairing of league fixtures against this season, when The Stan travelled to the Welfare Ground, having won 5-1 at Grounsell Park back in August. The Welfare Ground has a reputation for being a somewhat exposed spot and while there was a breeze across the heavy, uneven pitch, this was more than compensated for supporters by stunning views across the valley to Durham Cathedral as a pleasant Saturday afternoon drew towards twilight.

Unfortunately, that impressive vista was probably the best aspect of the day from the visitors’ perspective, as a series of missed chances saw two points squandered, resulting in Heaton Stannington being toppled as leaders of Northern League Division 2 by North Shields, who took over as leaders after scoring a very late winner at home to South Shields.

Not only that, The Stan also suffered the indignity of seeing Andrew Weeks dismissed for kicking out an opponent, in an attempt to mete out a form of brutal justice after the same opponent had escaped censure for a crude foul on captain Joe Wear, making it a dismal day all round.

If The Stan expected that the home side, who had lost 7 successive league games, would meekly surrender in the way they had back in August, they were soon disabused of this notion as a spirited Brandon side, ably marshalled by the imposing Robert Cooper in central midfield, came out with all guns blazing, taking up most of the territorial advantage in the opening exchanges. However on 15 minutes Jonathan Wright almost opened the scoring; set away by Brian Dodsworth, he had a fierce effort tipped over by keeper Chris Sawyer.

Soon after Brian Dodsworth was twice unable to take advantage of one on one situations; the first time he was denied by a low stop by Sawyer and the second he stop wide, almost having had too much time to pick his spot. Despite Heaton pressure, an organised Brandon side stood firm and took a shock lead on 38 minutes when The Stan defence failed to deal with a cross, allowing Andrew Blackburn at the back post to finish in a composed fashion.

Brandon held their lead at the break, but hardly got out of their penalty area in the second, other than a single Blackburn effort when he scampered away and shot over. The equaliser came on the hour when Lee Johnson collected a loose ball in central midfield, shrugged off a challenge and fired decisively into the roof of the net.

Having seen Dodsworth denied by unorthodox keeping, it was the least The Stan deserved. Indeed after Johnson’s goal, the one way traffic towards the Brandon goal increased in volume and frequency, with Stan forwards taking turns to miss in ever more implausible fashions: Wright sent a cross shot across the face of goal and was then denied by a solid block, while substitute Clay Darrell twice was inches wide, the first effort hitting the side netting. After this, the unsavoury series of events that saw Weeks dismissed unfolded, though there was still time for Darrell to set up Wright, who sliced his effort horribly wide.

This was a game The Stan would like to forget and move quickly on from; however, the next feature is Brandon away again in the Ernest Armstrong Cup on Wednesday.

Stan Team: Backhouse, Iredale, James Fulcher, McGarrigal, Wear (C), Johnson L., Weeks, Wright, Dodsworth, Carr

Subs: Smith, Johnson A.,Hoggins, Mann, Darrell.

Yellow Cards: Wright.

Red Cards: Weeks.

Attendance: 37.

Goals: Lee Johnson 60.

Kevin Mochrie