Heaton Stannington travelled to Darlington on the back of seven wins and one draw from their last eight league games to face a team that had not had a win in their previous five matches, but it was the home side that upset the current form table as they comfortably took all three points. There were two changes for the Stan from last Saturday including a debut for new signing Lee Waugh. Another new signing, Graeme Cairns from West Allotment Celtic, got his debut as a substitute.

After a fairly even first twenty five minutes, during which both teams were finding it difficult to adjust to the slippery surface, the hosts took the lead when a slip by McGarrigal, following a cross from the left, allowed the ball to run to Wilson who shot from just inside the penalty area and opened the scoring.

It only took the Stan five minutes to get back into the game however when, following a foul by Smith on Wright, a free kick was awarded twenty five yards from goal. Wright took the kick himself and placed his shot perfectly around the wall to equalise. The goals brought a dull game, played in dull conditions, to life as the half ended with both sides having opportunities to improve on the 1-1 half time score-line.

The Darlington side had much of the better chances as the second period got under way and Kokes was unlucky not to score within a minute of the re-start when sliding in at the near post following a cross from the right. His side were not to be denied however as they went ahead on fifty minutes when the Heaton defence failed to clear their lines following a Hanratty cross into the box and Holliday scored with an overhead kick.

The hosts were starting to dominate now and the Stan full backs appeared to have no answer to Darlington’s fast attacks up the flanks, and it was from another such move up the right hand side that they scored a third. England left his pursuers in his wake and when his cross arrived in the penalty area a brief skirmish ended when goalkeeper Rule pulled down Caley on the goal-line and referee Matthew Gattis not only awarded a penalty but showed the young keeper a red card. The resultant penalty was duly despatched by home skipper Wilson.

Reduced to ten men the visitors appeared to be deflated as they were out fought, out thought and out played for most of the remainder of the game and it did not come as any surprise when Darlington went 4-1 up when Holliday was allowed to run through without any serious challenge.

One spark of a come back came for Heaton when Wright won himself a penalty after he was pulled down in the penalty area but the forward failed to convert his spot kick for the second game in succession as goalkeeper Pentony dived to his left to save. With the game petering out, with what has to be described as a fairly easy win for the home side, a fifth goal was added when Gary Dixon was easily dispossessed forty or so yards out and Caley ran on to score.

Stan Team: Rule; Telford; Hoggins; Stoddart; McGarrigal; Wear (Cairns); Burns; Creswick (Dodsworth); Wright; Waugh (Johnson, L); Dixon, G.

Goals: Wright 30.

Yellow Cards: McGarrigal, Wright, Cairns.

Red Card: Rule.

Attendance: 68

Ken Rodger