The 11am kick off time meant an early start for the Heaton Stannington squad that made their way up the A1 in a convoy of vehicles; it seemed unlikely that Jose Mourinho, en route to Old Trafford, would be simultaneously asking Frank Lampard to pop round to collect Eden Hazard as he had space in the car, or that Peter Cech had spent the night before at his family caravan.

However, everything worked out in the end as The Stan maintained their place at the top of Northern League Division 2, as well as their 100% success rate in games since Assistant Manager Geoff walker exchanged High Heaton for The Algarve, with a workmanlike 2-0 victory at Alnwick Town’s sun-kissed, picturesque St. James’ Park ground.

A cagey opening, in which a determined Alnwick side attempted to exploit the slope that they’d the advantage of the first half, meant that chances in the area were non-existent until almost on the half hour. After 29 minutes Andrew Weeks, restored to the side after being the unlucky 17th man on Saturday, floated in a delicious free kick that was nodded home with the minimum of fuss by Jonathan Wright. Scarcely had the healthy contingent of visiting supporters had time to complete their round of applause, when that man Wright was at it again.

A superb, measured through ball by the inspired Weeks found Wright able to measure his run to perfection, collecting the pass and taking it round keeper Daniel Mullan, before emphatically firing the ball in to the roof of the empty net. This was Wright’s 12th goal in 6 league games, having found the net in every one of them. Words simply do not do justice to the quality of this achievement; I am at a loss to adequately describe Wright’s achievement. A dozen goals by the August Bank holiday may not be unprecedented, but I’ve never come across this before.

Almost on half time, Shaun Backhouse made a blinding save from Tony Brown’s header from a corner, which was the main threat the home team had in the game, though they spent a great deal of the second half pumping high balls in to the box which Backhouse, hampered by a dazzling overhead sun, calmly punched away meaning that Alnwick were never really likely to get back in to the game.

Heaton Stannington could and should have been ought of sight early in the second half, when Wright seemed to be tripped in the box, but no penalty was awarded. At various times The Stan came forward and half chances were created, but for the majority of the game, the team played within itself, soaking up Alnwick pressure and taking the sting out of the game.

Consequently, the second successive clean sheet was recorded and fifth win on the bounce. There will be more challenging games than this, but it is encouraging to see the team spirit and will to win that runs through the whole squad and not just the eleven on the pitch at any one time.

The first half dozen games of this Northern League Division 2 season have shown The Stan are a force to be reckoned with. Let’s hope things keep moving forward when Geoff Walker returns from the Algarve for the Stokesley game.

Stan Team:

Subs:

Yellow Cards: Gary Dixon, Ben Wood.

Attendance: 126

Goals: Wright 29, 31