There was a good crowd to watch the Stan’s first home friendly of the season against newly promoted Washington. There was a debut for substitute Kevin Westphal and, as predicted by the match reporter as soon as he left the club again earlier last season, a return for Jonathan ‘I’ll be Back’ Wright. Hopefully the Terminator gets match fit soon and only has a single ticket to High Heaton this time.

Wright and Scott saw shots go near early on. In the eighteenth minute, Backhouse missed the ball but with lots of bodies in the box, an overhead kick was cleared by Stoddart.

Wright was blocked in the twenty sixth minute. Washington then went on the attack on a number of occasions including a shot that was blasted just wide in the thirty eighth minute. The last five minutes of the half saw attack after attack by Washington but the score remained 0-0 at half time.

The start of the second half saw Hogginsand Westphil replace Telford and Campania. After three minutes, Backhouse had to run out to the edge of his box to make a save. A minute later and a Washington forward ran in on goal from an off-side position, which was not seen by the referee, but he shot over.

Morrison shot just wide in the fifty third minute followed by a well-placed free kick by Rowntree that was blocked. Four minutes later and Backhouse had to clear.

Back at the other end, a Wright free kick curved to the right but went just wide. Both teams appeared to keep taking turns at attacking although as the match went on Washington had more chances than the Stan. With fifteen minutes to go, Telford came back on for Morrison who then came back on for the injured Hoggins.

After a near miss from a corner, Washington scored from the next corner in the seventy eighth minute. The ball went across the goal to an unmarked forward who headed in to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Five minutes later and Washington again shot just wide.

Backhouse then had to run out to the side to block an attack. Westphal then shot straight at the keeper at the other end. Washington again proved to be more clinical when they made it 2-0 in the eighty seventh minute. A Washington forward, with defenders round him, got the ball passed to him. Backhouse blocked him but he passed to another defender who slotted the ball into the net.

The match was a good competitive work out for the Stan but it ended with a 2-0 win for the slightly stronger Washington side.

Stan Team: Backhouse; Scott; Stoddart; Ray;Quine; Campania; Telford; Dodsworth; Wright; Rowntree; Morrison.

Subs: Hoggins; Weeks; Westphal.

Attendance:

Kevin Mochrie