The Stan headed for the hills of the Wear Valley looking to build on six league wins in the last seven games and hoping to add to the already impressive eight away wins this season. The task wouldn't be easy as since Tow Law's win at Grounsell in November the Lawyers had only lost once in 9 and kept 8 clean sheets in the six wins and two draws.

Since the last meeting the hosts had brought in Adam Nicholls from Bishop Aukland and the prolific Matty Moffat, and both started in an attacking looking line up. The Stan made two changes from the win over Esh Winning with Dixon replacing James at left back and Imray coming in for Jones in centre mIdfield, Ali Stoddart returned to the bench after holiday.

Tow Law kicked off attacking the clubhouse end on a heavy pitch with the wind blowing across the pitch, the hosts settled first with the lively Moffat looking to play on the shoulder of the last man and a couple of timely interceptions stopped him getting free inside the first 5 minutes.

Tow Law's good start was rewarded on 6 mins when Dixon lost the ball on the edge of his own box and Nicholls had time and space to shoot wide of Smith for the opening goal.

The Stan bounced back immediately and were level within a minute when good work by Fulcher found Wright in space on the left side of the box and Jon Jon fired across the keeper and in at the far post. The early drama continued when Kye Waters went down injured while clearing a cross in the six yard box and after lengthy treatment, well OK, a lengthy chat with James, he was replaced by Stoddart.

Both teams were trying to play despite the conditions but it was Tow Law who were pressing and Wear was cautioned on 19 when he collided with Moffat who was breaking clear on goal, the home crowd were incensed that it wasn't a red card and Thexton fired over from the resultant free kick.

Tow Law were on top and it took a suberb tackle from Ray inside his own 6 yard box to stop Moffat and then Fulcher did the same to stop Thexton, before the same player shot straight at Smith from another free kick after a foul by Ray. However The Lawyers weren't to be denied and Moffat restored their lead on 29 with a close range finish after a slick move left the Stan looking for an offside flag that never came. The next 15 minutes saw constant Tow Law pressure with Matty Smith making fine saves to thwart Nicholls and Thexton as we struggled with Tow Law's movement.

Amazingly the Stan were level on 44 minutes when Wright again took advantage of right back Collinson being out of position and he drove over a low cross that Dan Robinson slid home for an unlikely equaliser. The half time whistle went a minute later with the Stan knowing they were lucky to be going in on level terms.

HT: Tow Law Town 2 - 2 The Stan

Tow Law pressed at the start of the second half with Gibson getting a shot in and Lee forcing Smith into another smart save at his near post before Dixon was replaced by James on 52 minutes for the Stan. The Stan eventually got a foothold in the game and firstly Wright had a free kick saved and then he broke through the middle but couldn't get enough on his chip with the keeper off his line. He did even better 2 minutes later with a suberb cross from the right but Deagle couldn't turn it home at the far post, then at the other end Thexton headed narrowly wide for the hosts from a corner. Nicholls then headed wide from a deep cross and Moffat had a great chance as he went around Smith but Willsa James stopped him with a tremendous tackle and Deagle was able to block the follow up.

The Stan responded and Jon Jon had a half chance in the box but lost control before he could shoot and then he hit another free kick over the top. This spell of pressure paid dividends for the Stan on 73 minutes when the keeper spilled a cross from the right when under pressure from Robinson, and after a scramble on the goal line Dean Imray was able to force the ball home.

Tow Law complained long and hard that the keeper had been fouled, and there certainly was contact from Robinson, but it looked minimal and seemed the keeper had dropped it rather than Dan's challenge knocking him off the ball.

The Stan then replaced Holland with Shane Jones and within 5 minutes he had found Wright in space but his shot was saved at the near post. Tow Law pushed Dixon up front from centre half and it almost paid off on 89 when his header was suberbly cleared off the line by Joe Wear, from the resulting corner another Tow Law header went wide. The Stan then had to clear another two corners in stoppage time and Smith made another routine save before the Ref finally blew on 94 minutes.

Full Time: Tow Law Town 2 - 3 The Stan

The Stan had been outplayed in the first half but had the strength of character to fight back, and in a much more even second half they had taken one of their chances whilst the hosts squandered theirs.

Bearing in mind that Tow Law hadn't conceded a league goal in more than 9 hours, to score 3 in these conditions was maybe enough to just about earn the points; although our hosts will argue that they created enough chances to win two games.

The win kept us in 7th place, but with Durham, Billingham Town and Blyth Town all losing, the gap is shrinking and we still have games in hand on five of the six teams above us as we welcome Whickham to Grounsell on the 4th March.

Team 4-4-2: Smith; Waters (Stoddart 10), Dixon (James 52), Wear (C), Ray; Fulcher ,Holland (Jones 80), Imray, Deagle; Wright, Robinson.

Unused Subs: Johnson, Yates.

Goals: Wright 7, Robinson 44, Imray 73.

Yellow Cards: Wear, Robinson, Stoddart.

Attendance: 70 (about 15 from the Stan Army)

Simon Lansley