Originally arranged to be played at Shankhouse, this match became the first official home friendly of the season and was played on a sunny but cool evening in front of a reasonably sized crowd. There were seven changes from Saturday’s starting line-up including one trialist.

The Stan attacked from the start and there was a great ball into the box by Philipson in the 6th minute but Yates could not get to it in time. A minute later and Shankhouse, who play in the Northern Alliance Premier league, put the ball over the bar. Jones then made a good run but shot at the keeper before Smith saved a Shankhouse close range effort.

The next 10 minutes was all one way traffic by the Stan. In the 11th minute, a Jones shot was palmed away by the keeper although the trialist’s rebound effort went very wide. The Stan pressure paid off in the 14th minute when Yates passed to the advancing Jones who confidently slotted the ball past the Shankhouse keeper. 3 minutes later and Yates looked like he was going to score when, from a corner, his header was headed off the line.

There was a rare Shankhouse attack after 19 minutes and again 4 minutes later when Dixon made a great tackle to halt a solo run by a visiting forward. In the 26th minute, a great run by Walker, involving a 1-2 with Yates, resulted in a corner. It was taken by Jones who sent the ball into the box where ‘Little’ Gary Yates headed it into the net to double the Stan lead. 3 minutes later and the Stan attacked again but then it was the visitors turn to do so. Their initial effort was cleared but Jonathan Wilson’s follow up shot beat everyone to make it 2-1.

The last 15 minutes of the half were quieter although Shankhouse hit the post and Dixon came close with a shot that was deflected wide. The half finished with Jones flicking the ball to Philipson but his header was cleared.

From the restart, both teams were attempting to attack but nothing much happened until the 58th minute. A McCabe solo attack was blocked but, while trying to clear, the defender was dispossessed by Salim who dribbled across the box and his shot was deflected into the net. 6 minutes latter Jones won a corner from which he sent the ball into the box which McCabe then headed against the post.

In 75 minutes, a back heel from Bailey to Imray outside the box saw him shoot just wide. 3 minutes later, a Stan counter-attack saw Jones blast the ball into the net from outside the box only to be flagged offside. In 79 minutes from a corner, amidst calls for a handball, Shankhouse’s Joe Arnold blasted the ball into the net through a crowded box to make it 3-2. A minute later, Salim got round a defender and the keeper but was blocked on the line.

Each team had supplied a linesman or, in the case of Shankhouse for the second half, a linesboy. We just have to assume he was too busy playing Pokemon Go to keep up with play as when the Stan undertook a pacey attack which saw McCabe, on the right, blast the ball into the net he undeservedly disallowed the goal for offside. In the 90th minute, the advancing Jones turned a defender in the box and was brought down. The resulting penalty was scored by Bailey and the match ended 4-2 and in a deserved first win of the season for the Stan.

Team: Smith; McCabe; Wear; Scott; Philipson; Walker (Imray); Fulcher; Trialist (Bailey); Dixon (Buzzeo); Jones; Yates (Salim).

Goals: Jones 14, Yates 26, Salim 58, Bailey 90.

Yellow Card: Dixon.

Attendance: Unknown

Kevin Mochrie