On a very windy day, and the last home match of the season, the Stan comfortably increased their unbeaten run to ten matches. It was particularly pleasing given that the week had seen four points deducted after a mix up about payment of fines and also attempts at censorship by some moaning lassies from Cemetery Lane. There were two changes to the team including a first start for Adam Rowntree.

The first ten minutes was dominated by the Stan but without any clear chance of a goal. In the twelth minute, during a Stan attack, the ball hit defender’s hand and a penalty was awarded. Hoggins comfortably put the penalty away to make it 1-0. Two minutes later and Walton tried a speculative long shot which the keeper dropped than caught. The Stan continued to keep the pressure on with runs by Rowntree and Hoggins.

In the twenty sixth minute, Burns ran down the right and crossed the ball into the box for Hoggins to score and make it 2-0. There were no other clear chances until a couple of late Darlington attacks and the strong wind made things difficult. In the last minute of the first half a great run by Burns down the right saw him move to the right but then shoot straight at the keeper.

The second half saw an early corner for the away team but in the fiftieth minute it was 3-0. After a Stan attack, a Darlington defender got the ball but did not see Burns running in behind him. Burns ran on with the ball but was pushed out to the right on the bye line. He then crossed the ball into the box but before Hoggins could get to it the wind assisted it over the line in the left hand corner of the goal.

In fifty nine minutes, a Deagle free kick was caught by the wind and the keeper just got his hand to it. Another wind assisted shot, this time by Carr, just went over. In the seventy first minute Burns ran down the wing and passed the Darlington number twelve. He crossed the ball to Yates who, with both feet off the ground, caught the ball and blasted it into the back of the net to make it 4-0.

The Stan were on top for the rest of the match as Darlington looked increasingly tired. Despite some further attempts on goal by Carr the score ended 4-0.

Stan Team: Rule; Stoddart; Deagle; Ray; Wear; Bailey (Cairns); Burns; Walton (Dodsworth); Rowntree; Hoggins (Yates); Carr.

Goals: Hoggins 12, 26, Burns 50, Yates 71.

Attendance: 96.

Kevin Mochrie