After a twenty one year absence, the Stan resumed their quest for the FA Vase and a trip to Wembley. The team and the fans had an early start for the long trip to Lancashire and although the performance and the day trip met their expectations, the result did not.

The town of Colne, a mill town spreading up both sides of a valley surrounded by moorland, had a similar look and feel to Royston Vasey although it was heavier on the comic rather than the sinister (apart from the fans behind the top goal). For example, there was a shop window full of live female models (no we did not go to Amsterdam by mistake), the field next to the ground was full of sheep and the match sponsor was a male escort although he was not involved in escorting Geoff the assistant manager from the dugout (more about that later).

There were two changes to the team that played Stokesley due to Ali Stoddart being injured and Andrew Robertson not travelling. This allowed Brian Dodsworth to make his debut after returning to the club from Team Northumbria.

On its beautiful hill top location, both the weather and the atmosphere were sunny at kick off at the XLCR stadium. It was not until the second half that the atmosphere darkened and the dream of Wembley disappeared for the Stan Army. The slope on the pitch was so steep that the Stan fans expected to see someone sledging down it but that was left to the Colne choir, and their banjo player, behind the top goal. Although everyone else at the ground was very welcoming, the choir spent the second half taunting Lee Johnson.

The Stan were attacking downhill in the first half and after an even first five minutes, Lee Johnson took a shot which the Colne goalkeeper put over. In the seventh minute Colne hit the side net followed a minute later by a Colne long shot. Dodsworth then got in on goal but the goalkeeper got to the ball. Both teams kept trying to attack.

The best chance so far though came in the twentieth minute when a cross from the middle went to Ben Telford on the right who volleyed the ball which was saved by the Colne keeper. After this the teams were evenly matched until the last five minutes of the first half when the Stan did all the attacking.

In the last minute the ball broke through to Dodsworth, who, with only the goalie to beat, was too close to him and was blocked. Although it finished 0-0 at half time, the Stan were unlucky not to be leading.

The second half saw Colne take advantage of the slope and were able to do so even more after the forty ninth minute when Creswick was sent off for a high tackle and a second bookable offence. Almost immediately a Colne player went in high on Stan keeper Rule. When the referee failed to doing anything, assistant manager Geoff Walker was asked to leave the pitch after remonstrating with him. The advantage paid off for Colne in the fifty fourth minute when, from a tight angle on the left, Boyle scored to make it 1-0 to Colne.

The Stan did not give up and immediately had a shot that went over the bar followed three minutes later by a header from a free kick that was saved. In the sixty second minute though, a volley from outside the box made it 2-0. Johnson was booked for an altercation with a Colne player who surprisingly was not also booked.

McGarrigal then had a header saved but this was followed by a Colne counter attack although the resultant shot went wide. The game began to get more heated with the Stan team and fans being frustrated by some of the referees surprise decisions. He appeared to share the same name as the Dad in the Simpsons and he seemed influenced by the vocal attention of the sheepish hair flicking Colne defence and the Colne choir which the programme called the Red Army although they were more like the Salvation Army.

In the seventy fifth minute Telford had a chance pounced on by the Colne keeper. It was Colne who score again though three minutes later when a ball from the right allowed Tinker to get past Rule to make it 3-0. The Stan kept battling and a minute later Dodsworth had a shot that was deflected just over. After another three minutes it was Gary Dixon who had a chance but again it was Colne who scored in the eighty fourth minute when a cross led to Barski only having Rule to beat.

Despite Rule’s good attempt at stopping him, he made it 4-0 to Colne. With less than two minutes to go, Dodsworth got the Ball into Lee Johnson who slid in but the Colne goalkeeper also got there. The keeper, who had been Colne’s best player up until now, made contact with Johnson who unfortunately responded. The resulting yellow card saw him sent off for a second bookable offence while Thompson was only booked.

The 4-0 score line did not reflect the match and, especially in the first half, the Stan held their own against higher league opponents. The early sending off in the second half and the fact that they were shooting up hill was always going to make things difficult.

This was a good effort by the Stan on their return to the FA Vase. Everyone associated with the club enjoyed the experience and the day out. Hopefully lessons will be learned for the Senior Cup tie on Tuesday.

Stan Team: Rule: Telford; James (Pearson); Dixon, I; McGarrigal; Deagle; Creswick; Wear; Dodsworth; Johnson, L; Dixon, G.

Subs not used: Backhouse; Hoggins; Johnson, A.

Yellow Cards: Wear.

Red Cards: Creswick, Lee Johnson.

Attendance:

Kevin Mochrie