After last Saturday’s forgettable home game, the Stan were back to winning ways in the league and are now only 3 points off a promotion spot. There were 2 changes from Tuesday’s Senior Cup win at Alnwick.

Although the Stan had a comfortable win, it looked like luck was against them in the 1st minute when Paul Blackett comfortably shot past the Ryton keeper and scored. The ball though hit the break for the portable goal which is located behind the post and bounced back out although the linesman thought it had hit the post and a bemused Stan Army had to wait longer for a goal.

The next 10 minutes were quieter with both teams having an attack blocked. In the 11th minute, a Ryton long shot saw Smith put the ball over for a corner and from that he caught the incoming ball. A minute later and a Dan Robinson counter attack on the left saw him take his time and position himself, keeping 2 defenders off, and shot to make it 1-0. In the 16th minute, Robinson was through again and the Ryton keeper, Ross Combs, brought him down and was sent off. Paul Blackett took the penalty against substitute keeper Carl Piecha and made it 2-0.

After 20 minutes, Deagle shot over and 2 minutes later Smith cleared a Ryton half chance from a corner. In the 28th minute, an attacking Ryton player got to the ball 1st but shot over from close range. In 31 minutes, Robinson passed to Blackett who made it 3-0.

In the 35th minute, Ryton had a long-range dipping shot that went just over. The rest of the half was dominated by the Stan with Deagle slicing a shot and then putting another over. Blackett was looking dangerous and in the 44th minute he was brought down in the box but a free kick was given just outside it. Deagle took it and hit a defender, followed by Williams’s header being caught by the keeper.

The 2nd half was quieter than the 1st but the Stan’s win was never in doubt and it started with Bailey shooting just wide. In the 49th minute, Deagle passed to half time sub Shane Jones in the 6 yard box and Piecha the keeper could not stop his shot.

Ryton shot over 4 minutes later and in 56 minutes Johnson passed to Robinson in the box whose shot was deflected for a corner which was then cleared. A minute later, a ball from Deagle saw Williams head over. In the 60th minute a Ryton attack was headed clear by McCabe and the Dixon and Deagle counter attack saw Dixon slice his shot. Jones then had a free kick caught followed by a Ryton one hitting the side netting.

Ryton were getting back into the match as the Stan went off the boil but this only lasted a few minutes as in the 68th Williams headed wide. 5 minutes later, a poor clearance allowed Johnson in but Piecha made a good save with his feet.

Sub and legend Gary Yates then had a shot blocked followed by a header over the bar. Jones’s free kick then went just wide. In the 80th minute, Robinson outpaced the Ryton defence but his shot went just wide and he then had a deflected shot caught by Piecha. It was 3rd time lucky in 82 minutes when Robinson again ran through and slotted the ball past the keeper to make it 5-0. Ryton did not give up and had 2 more good attempts but it was too little too late as it had been the Stan who were ‘right on’ target even if the linesman missed the 1st one!

Stan Team: Smith; McCabe; Dixon; Williams ; Stoddart; Bailey; Imray (Yates); Johnson, Robinson; Blackett (Jones); Deagle.

Goals: Robinson 12, Blackett 16 (pen), 31, Jones 49, Williams 68.

Yellow Cards: Williams

Attendance: 132.

Kevin Mochrie