Its not often you score 5 goals and don't win, then again it it's not often you concede 5 and don't lose, but the Stan will be kicking themselves for not taking all 3 points against a battling Easington Colliery at Grounsell on Saturday.

Going into the game on the back of four straight wins the Stan had to make three changes to the side that beat Northallerton convincingly on Wednesday with Dixon, Deagle and Ray replaced by Trodd, Wear and Holland.

The Colliers were rocked before the game when their Management Team resigned, and it was a youthful looking line up for the visitors with David Paul the only experienced player in the side.

Easington got the game under way and Paul had a half chance blocked by Smith at his near post in the first minute, but the Stan soon settled and Tait had a shot saved before Johnson had a shot blocked after a Jones corner. The Stan continued to press and after Robinson and Holland combined Ethan TAIT finished at the back post to give the Stan a deserved lead in the 14th minute.

Robinson was next to have a go and the keeper saved at the expense of a corner after a good run and shot, the visitors responded with a shot from Cooke which was inches wide of the post. It was the Stan though who were doing most of the pressing and it was no surprise when TAIT volleyed home his second after a free kick found him in space at the back post to double the lead in the 30th minute.

The Stan were rampant and Robinson then got in one on one and poked his shot past the keeper only to see it rebound off the post, but the visitors were looking sharp on the break and COOKE wriggled into the box on 34 minutes and pulled a goal back with a fine finish.

The Stan pressed again and a lovely move down the left saw Laidler and Tait set up Jones and Lee JOHNSON was left unmarked at the back post to force his cross over the line to restore the two goal advantage on 37 minutes.

The rest of the half was end to end as both defences struggled to have an impact but it was the Stan who went into the break leading 3 -1.

HT: Stan 3 - 1 Easington

The home side had a great chance to increase the lead at the start of the second half after Holland's cross wasn't cleared but neither Robinson, Jones or Imray could apply the finishing touch. Robinson's pace again got him clear of the defence on 57 but he was impeded as he shot and the Ref gave nothing, this was to prove costly as Easington went straight up the other end and pulled a goal back when PAUL cut in from the left and curled a great finish over Smith for 3 - 2.

The Stans response was immediate with HOLLAND picking up the ball up from the restart and slaloming diagonally across the pitch before placing a fine left foot finish past Anderson in the Colliery goal. It was a great goal by Josh leading to a member of the Stan Army to compare it with Diego Maradona's goal v Belgium at the '86 World Cup, he had been drinking mind.

It was the Stan who threatened next with Robinson flicking Laidler's free kick inches over the bar but Smith had to be alert to save from Vincent with Redman volleying the rebound over the top at the other end. Within a minute however Easington were back in it when an unmarked PAUL headed back across goal and in off the far post for 4 - 3.

The Stan replaced Tait with Salim and Jones with Chapman, but it was across the back four where they were looking increasingly shaky and susbstitute Old headed over for Easington who continued to press as the rain poured down.

The Stan won a corner on 77 and seemed to have finally put the game to bed when an unmarked JOHNSON powered a header into the net to make it 5 - 3, and when Salim broke clear and shot past the keeper on 86 you'd never believe Easington were still in the game but Appleby got back to clear off the line and two minutes later an unmarked VINCENT gave the visitors hope when he headed past Smith for 5 - 4.

The Stan continued to look uneasy at the back but looked to have weathered the storm as we went in to stoppage time, only to concede a needless penalty on 91 minutes. PAUL went for power rather than placement and was lucky to convert after Smith got a hand to his spot kick but could only push it into the roof of the net for an unlikely equaliser for the visitors.

The Stan pressed in the last couple of minutes of stoppage time but despite forcing a couple of corners the best they could muster was a Johnson header that went over the bar, the groans at the final whistle confirmed that this was 2 points thrown away rather than one gained.

The Stan had led 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and 5-3 in the 88th minute, but had never really looked comfortable against a spirited Easington, who in David Paul, had the games outstanding player.

For the neutral and the NL it was an entertaining advert, for a defensive coach it was a horror show as both sides struggled to track back, mark, organise or communicate.

The winning run has come to an end but it is worth pointing out that we have only lost one league game this season and we still have 2 games in hand on 3 of the 7 teams that are above us as we head for Darlington Railway Athletic next week.

Team 4-4-2 : Smith; Trodd, Wear (C), Stoddart, Laidler; Johnson, Imray , Holland, Tait (Salim); Jones (Chapman), Robinson.

Sub not Used: McCarthy.

Goals: Tait 14, 30, Johnson 37, 77, Holland 59.

Attendance: 95

Simon Lansley