The Stan made hard work of beating the bottom club but did eventually extend their unbeaten league run to four matches. There were three changes to the Stan team from Saturday.

The early pressure was all from the Stan and in the 4th minute a Hayton cross went across the goal past the keeper who managed to put it out for a corner. Stokesley looked shaky as Telford and Jones both had shots. In 8 minutes Bailey tried to lob the keeper but his effort went just wide. There were more Stan attacks with Stokesley not getting into the home half until the 13th minute. Their first shot, caught by Smith, was not until the 18th minute.

In 24 minutes Jones hit the post when he should have scored and Telford’s effort from the rebound was blocked by the keeper. Just before this, Wear had replaced McCabe. A Telford header from a corner was caught by the visiting keeper in 26 minutes and soon after Hayton beat him but the ball rolled to the post and eventually was put out for a corner.

From it, in the middle of a crowded box, Telford got up well to head the ball into the net to make it 1-0. The Stan continued to attack and a one-two between Telford and Jones led to Telford bursting into the box but his cross was missed by the other Stan players. In 34 minutes Smith was put under a rare piece of pressure but he eventually cleared the ball.

In 37 minutes Jones got into the box but took too long on the ball, something he did too often during the game including a minute later, and was blocked. The shots continued from the Stan including by Telford and Dixon. In 43 minutes Smith nearly failed to clear a Stokesley counter-attack but sent the ball back up and it was put across the visitor’s goal. The ball came back in to the box and was headed over the bar and into the top of the net by Jones.

The start of the second half saw Jones brought down and he sent the free kick just wide. In 53 minutes, Telford had a shot blocked and the rebound effort by Jones was blocked then caught by the keeper. Next a one-two between Dixon and Bailey saw Dixon slice his shot wide as a result of the ball hitting a divot.

In the 55th minute a Stokesley attack saw Wear head back to Smith. The ball was not cleared and it allowed Casey to slot the ball into the net for the equaliser. Telford’s free kick went just over three minutes later. In 61 minutes the Stan restored their lead when, after an initial attack was blocked, the ball eventually got to Hayton who shot past the keeper.

After 67 minutes, a bad tackle on Davison by the visitor’s Dan Jones saw an altercation between them which led to Jones losing it. They were both yellow carded but Jones continued to lash out at Stan players for the next few minutes. He pretended to be peacemaker after one of his team mates also started to lose it and was also yellow carded.

Jones again hit out in 72 minutes but the referee did not act and again showed his ineffectiveness to deal with the situation. Hayton, two minutes later, lobbed the keeper but his effort went just wide. Great passes by Jones and then Hayton saw Rowntree blocked twice.

The Stan should have finished the visitors off by now but their failure to do so meant a glimmer of light remained for Stokesley even though they only had one clear attack in the final half hour of the match. Their keeper punched away a ball from a corner in 84 minutes.

The last of a further three more corners, in the 88th minute, saw Jones send the ball rocketing into the crowded box. The first Stan shot was blocked but Dixon then forced the ball over the line after a scrum.

The visitor’s poor discipline continued and Dan Jones got his inevitable sending off when he received a straight red card in the penultimate minute.

Manager Derek Thompson was pleased with the 3-1 result given the amount that the match against Blyth had taken out of the team but he will be looking for a better performance on Wednesday against Ryton.

Stan Team: Smith; McCabe (Wear);Stoddart; Ray; Davison; Fulcher; Telford;Bailey; (Rowntree); Hayton; Jones; Dixon.

Unused Subs: Scott; Imray.

Goals: Telford 28, Jones 43, Dixon 88.

Yellow Card: Davison.

Attendance: 103.

Kevin Mochrie