On a crisp moonlit Friday night at the top of Whickham Bank, the Stan seemed to suffer from altitude sickness and failed to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games against a more eager and physical opposition. The Stan made two changes to the team from last Saturday.

In front of a crowd that included a majority of Stan fans, Whickham had the first effort just after kick off which Smith caught. Two minutes later and it was the Stan who attacked, resulting in a corner. It was Whickham who took an early lead though when in eight minutes an attack from the right saw Aiston smash the ball from just outside the box and it went into the far left corner of the net.

In 15 minutes, the Stan started a period of pressure when Grieveson attacked. Then another Stan attack led to a corner which was cleared and eventually led to a free kick. Wear was waiting for the incoming ball from the free kick but could not turn on the line to get the equaliser.

In the 17th minute,Grievson was flattened in the box but no penalty was given. A minute later Burns made a great run on the left but it only resulted in a throw in. In 20 minutes, a Whickham player shot over from outside the box. Three minutes later, a Stan shot from a free kick outside the box was cleared but Imray was fouled in the process. Trodd took the resulting free kick which saw a great diving save by the home keeper who put the ball out for a corner which then resulted in Imray shooting just over.

An aggravation to an existing injury saw Grieveson replaced by Jones in 28 minutes. Jones’s influence on the match was felt immediately as he tried to get the ball forward and use his pace to beat the home defence. In 35 minutes, he beat the offside trap twice but was wrongly flagged for it on the second occasion. Rowntree was also working hard and the Stan continued to put the pressure on with the home side only having one other clear attack before half time.

Two minutes into the second half and Rowntree turned a defender but his shot from a difficult angle was straight at the keeper who put the ball out for a corner which Bailey headed wide. Three minutes later and there were attacks at either end. In the 54th minute a home corner beat all the out players but was caught by Smith. A minute later and he stopped another shot. Whickham had two other shots before Rowntree took the ball up the other end and beat two defenders on the right before shooting from a tight angle. The home keeper just managed to put his shot over the bar for a corner which was then headed over by Wear.

In 62 minutes the Stan attacked again through Burns but Rowntree was blocked. The counter attack saw the ball sent up to a home forward on the left who shot from outside the box resulting in Smith stretching back and upwards to get his fingertips to the ball but he could not push it high enough to prevent it going in under the bar to make it 2-0 to Whickham.

Two minutes later and the Stan first shot wide and then had another shot caught by the home keeper. In the 69th minute things got worse when, to use half a chess term, Rook beat keeper. A ball from a home corner saw each side scrapping for it in the six yard box. The first two shots were blocked but the third attempt was put over the line by Rook to make it 3-0.

A minute later, Rowntree sent the ball across the home goal but there was no one there to meet it. In the last 20 minutes, the only actions worth mentioning were two Stan shots straight at the home keeper and a Whickham shot that went over. Hopefully the Stan can start a new unbeaten run on Wednesday night at home against Crook Town.

Stan Team:S mith; Trodd; Philipson; Ray; Wear; Imray; Telford; Bailey; Rowntree; Grieveson (Jones); Burns (Thompson).

Unused Subs: Davison; Stoddart.

Attendance: 130

Kevin Mochrie