The Stan took on promotion rivals Billingham Town as they hoped to extend their 9 league game unbeaten run. There were 3 changes with Smith, Deagle and Tait returning for Mullen, the injured Jones, holidaying Johnson and with Dixon moving to midfield.

In the 1st minute Smith had to block a town shot but 2 minutes later, with their 1st attack, the Stan were in the lead when Turnbull took the ball into the box and slotted it to Robinson who calmly sent it into the back of the net. In 5 minutes, Smith had to catch followed by Deagle counter-attacking who passed to Robinson who passed to Turnbull who broke down the middle and into the box, with defenders either side, to score.

In 7 minutes Billingham attacked followed by a Stan corner then another Town attack. In 12 minutes a Tait shot under pressure was caught by the keeper before Town shot wide. In 16 minutes, Turnbull was hacked down in the box as he was about to shoot but only a corner was given.

In 19 minutes a Town attack was cleared followed by Deagle heading a town header over for a corner.. The Stan then countered but Tait was blocked. Both teams were trying to attack and in 25 minutes, Robinson broke free and blasted the ball from just inside the box to make it 3-0. 2 minutes later and a town header hit the bar. The ball came back in and Deagle cleared off the line followed by a town player heading just wide.

Billingham hadn’t given up and were now pressing for a goal. The Stan also were attacking, especially through Turnbull. In 33 minutes though, town hit the side needing before Robinson headed just wide. In 39 minutes, town headed a corner ball over and the half ended with the Stan on the attack again.

The 2nd half started with both teams on the attack. The half was quieter overall with the Stan not performing anywhere as well as they had done in the 1st. In 50 minutes a town free kick just outside the box went over the wall and just over the bar. Soon after Smith had to make a great save followed by town shooting just wide.

The Stan then attacked twice before town did before the Stan attacked another 3 times. Town attacked again before a quiet period. Town were the better team for the 1st 17 minutes of the 2nd half and they had an attack cleared in 72 minutes. Robinson was then blocked in the box but tapped the ball back to Tait who shot just over.

In 81 minutes, sub Salim sent a ball through to Turnbull but he couldn’t shoot under pressure. The Stan kept trying to attack and in 85 minutes Salim was brought down just outside box with Tait’s free kick going just over. Town were getting increasingly niggly and the ref missed their No7 head butting Turnbull in 87 minutes before some handbags followed by No4 threatening someone in the crowd.

In the last minute Smith made a great save and soon after had to punch the ball clear. Town then shot wide. The Stan then had to clear with the whistle being blown as Salim counter attacked. So the Stan unbeaten run continues as well as a clean sheet, plenty of goals and with them even more so challenging for promotion in 5th position.

Team: Smith, Trodd (Y), Deagle, Ray, Petrache, Imray, Turnbull, Dixon, Robinson (Salim 77), Tait, Laidler.

Subs unused: Holland, Jones, Brown, Mullen.

Goals: Robinson 3, Turnbull 5, Robinson 25.

Yellow Card: Trodd

Attendance: 190

Kevin Mochrie