The last home match 4 weeks ago saw the Stan defeated at home in the league for the 1^st time since 12 April 2017. Instead of starting to build another undefeated run today, they lost again. To make matters worse, the Stan performance and the game overall were of a poor standard and a neutral would not have known that the Stan were promotion contenders while Alnwick were bottom of the league. There were 3 changes from the last match at Easington including debuts for new signings Liam Wotherspoon, from Blyth Spartans Reserves, and Daniel Sayer, from Blyth.

The match started quietly on a sunny but perishing cold afternoon. The first proper attack game after 5 minutes when a Stan free kick was blocked and Imray’s rebound shot went wide. The Stan were trying to attack but without any success and the next clear attempt after 10 minutes resulted in a corner that was blocked.

The first Alnwick attack came in 11 minutes when Smith had to catch followed at the other end by a Robertson shot being blocked. There was a quiet spell again before in 21 minutes Sayer made a nice turn but his shot was too weak. In 25 minutes Wright passed to Holland but his shot went over. The Stan had 2 more attacks and in 30 minutes Laidler made a good run and cross but the ball unfortunately went out.

Imray soon after did a 1-2 with Robertson but Imray’s shot went just wide. In 34 minutes, the ball was sent into the Stan box to an unmarked Alnwick player who chested it down but somehow managed to shoot wide.

It was then the debutant Stans’ opportunity which they took when Sayer passed to the advancing Wotherspoon and although it deflected off a defender he kept control and shot on the edge of the box to make it 1-0. In 37 minutes Wright had a shot in the box which the keeper got to followed by Smith having to make a catch. In 40 minutes, an attack was half cleared but then Laidler brought down an Alnwick player in the box. The resulting penalty by Byown saw Smith dive the right way and got a hand to the ball but he couldn’t stop it going in to the net for the equaliser.

Middleton then tried a long shot that the visiting keeper blocked. In 44 minutes, Wright got into the box but shot wide when he had a good chance to score. The Stan attacked again with Sayer losing the ball in the box followed by Wright having an Alnwick player fall on him. The half finished with a Wright free kick being headed just wide by Middleton.

Although the 1^st half was relatively quiet it had ended with the Stan trying to regain the lead but it was Alnwick who took a shock lead in the 2^nd minute of the 2^nd half. From a corner, unmarked Alnwick player Riddell was able to head past Smith who did try to get the ball but unsuccessfully. 2 minutes later the Stan hit the bar from a corner and the keeper then punched away.

Alnwick then attacked and the 2^nd of 2 corners saw them head over the bar. Hall then sent a good ball to Wright but the keeper made a good save. A free kick after McKenna was brought down was cleared and then a great ball from Wright to Robertson saw him blocked and soon after the visiting keeper easily caught. In 61 minutes Wright shot but he was offside.

There was then a lull until 68 minutes when Robinson attacked but there was no one there to support him and the ball was blocked then cleared. 3 minutes later a Wotherspoon header was easily caught by the visiting keeper. There was then a rare Alnwick attack which ended with Smith catching a deflected shot.

The Stan then attacked and when Robinson was blocked he passed back to Wotherspoon whose shot went just over. There was then another long period of inactivity until 80 minutes when there was a game changing moment. Imray sent the ball through to Wright who made a great run into the box and while trailed by 2 defenders went down suddenly in the box. Jon Jon felt he had been tripped while the referee thought he had clipped one foot with the other. His protest though, as he had already been warned about complaining earlier in the half, led to a straight red card. This seem to suck any effort out of the remaining Stan players and it was not helped by Hodgson the Alnwick keeper time wasting.

In 82 minutes Hodgson caught a Stan shot which was followed by a free kick from sub Salim going just over. In 87 minutes Salim was pulled down in the box but again nothing was given. Laidler then made a great run and crossed the ball into the box but Wotherspoon missed it. Smith made a catch before the last Stan attack.

The Stan missed Wright’s input and will do so now for at least a game while he is suspended. The despondent Stan Army retreated to the clubhouse, where the Stan team were conspicuous by their absence while the Alnwick team were in good spirits, to watch the Scotland v England rugby match. With Scotland’s victory, the afternoon just got worse for everyone apart from for this reporter.

Stan Team: Smith, Holland, Laidler, Middleton, Hall, Imray (C), Wotherspoon, Sayer, Wright (Red Card), Robertson, McKenna (Salim 70).

Subs Not Used: Wear, Fulcher, Hoggins.

Goals: Wotherspoon 35.

Red Cards: Wright.

Attendance: 148.

Kevin Mochrie