After disappointment in the FA Cup last Saturday, the Stan were back on the road to Wembley but this time in the FA Vase. There were 3 changes from Monday’s starting 11 in the league. The Stan Army had a great day out on the team coach to Bradford. They also stopped at a number of locations in Yorkshire on the way home as the coach did not have a toilet. During the game though the team, including a make shift defence, did hold on to grind out a victory.

The first two attacks were by the home side. In the 4th minute Hayton passed to Wright who was blocked and Hayton’s rebound shot was also blocked by the keeper. Two minutes later Hayton crossed the ball into the box from the right and Burns, who ran into the box, did well to beat a defender to the ball but was brought down for a penalty. Wright blasted the spot kick into the right hand corner of the net to make it 1-0. 

In the 8th minute, Eccleshill shot over and then forced a catch by Rule. In 12 minutes, Hayton sent a ball into the box for Telford who was blocked for a corner. A minute later and it was 1-1 when Harrop ran in unopposed by Weeks and shot past Rule. In the 16th minute, Burns ran down the left, interchanging with Wright who shot just wide. 

Rule had to kick clear in the 19th minute and 3 minutes later the home team had the ball in the net but it was flagged for offside. Wright was then flattened in the box but a penalty was not given. Another Stan penalty call was ignored when a Burns cross was blocked by a defender’s hand.

A goal did come in 28 minutes when Scott passed to Telford who ran down the wing and passed into the box to Hayton who blasted the ball to make it 2-1. In 38 minutes, from a corner on the left, it was the Jerry Springer show when the player of that name put the incoming ball into the net at the near post to make it 2-2. An equaliser was deserved as leading up to it most 50-50 balls had been won by Ecccleshill. The pressure continued and Rule had to make a save with the rebound shot being cleared off the line by Dodsworth.

Manager Dekka Thompson could be heard giving the team the hairdryer treatment at half time. An Eccleshill shot skimmed the bar in the 49th minute followed soon after by Rule blocking with his feet. In the 56th minute, a free kick from Dodsworth went to Burns on the edge of the box who blasted the ball into the net to make it 3-2. There were then a series of attacks by Eccleshill with one resulting in a good save by Rule in the 75th minute. 

The Stan were now battling more and the home team were beginning to look rattled but there were still nervous moments and a number of clearances in the Stan penalty box. Telford and Wright combined well in the 84th minute only to see the keeper get to the ball before Wright. Three minutes later Wright had a shot which the keeper initially dropped. 

There was no Eccles cake on show but the home side’s moaning and calls for most decisions to go there way took the biscuit. Telford then shot just wide form a Hayton cross followed by another Wright shot straight at the keeper. There were then a number of attacks by Eccleshill. In the 95th minute, the home keeper just got his hand to a Wright shot. The resulting corner was cleared and then went back to Hayton who passed to Telford who blasted the ball from the edge of the box to make it 4-2.

From a neutral’s point of view this had been a great traditional cup tie but from the Stan Army’s perspective the team made hard work of their victory. A first Vase victory in 34 years though means that the dream of reaching Wembley this season lives on with the next destination being Chester-Le-Street.

Stan Team: Rule, Scott, Deagle, Weeks (Axon), Quine, Dodsworth, Telford, L. Johnson (Imray), Wright, Hayton, Burns (Hoggins).

Subs Not Used: Rowntree,Morrison.

Goals: Wright 7, Hayton 28, Burns 56, Telford 90(+5).

Yellow Cards: Burns.

Attendance:

Kevin Mochrie