The Stan visited their old rivals but at a new venue, Druid Park the former home of Newcastle Blue Star. There were 5 changes due to injury including Legend Gary Yates who has had to come out of retirement and replace his slippers and pipe for boots again. There was a competitive debut for Jack Watchman.

The match kicked off on a cold but clear evening in fading light due partially to the floodlights, with their missing bulbs, which were so dim that it was as if the druid’s fires had been used to provide the lighting.

The 1^st 25 minutes seemed like a different match from the rest of it as Celtic dominated and the Stan hadn’t appeared to join in yet and as a result the home side could have been a few goals ahead. Smith, who as usual had a fantastic game, made a save in the 1^st minute and 2 minutes later his opposite number did the same before Celtic headed over from a free kick.

Holland shot wide but in 5 minutes Whildon should have scored when a Watchman miss-clearance saw him break free but somehow he blasted his shot wide. The Stan then had 2 corners with the keeper parrying clear the 2^nd. WAC then had a period of pressure which required Smith and Stoddart to work hard.

In 16 minutes, a WAC player was offside but the flag remained down but Smith saved his shot well. Poor defending by Stoddart then allowed a home player to shoot but Smith made a great save with the ball then hitting off the bar and the resulting corner being headed wide. In 20 minutes a Johnson free kick was caught by the keeper. In 21 minutes, Celtic took the lead when a cross from the left saw Parkinson speed into the box and shoot past Smith from close range.

Although the Stan had 1 counter move themselves WAC forwards continued to get opportunities to break and run although things changed against the run of play in 25 minutes. A Stan long throw near the bye line wasn’t cleared in the box and Jones put the ball in the net from close range. 2 minutes later and Dixon made a good clearance as the Stan defence was again put under a period of pressure.

In 30 minuutes, a home free kick hit off a Stan player and into the hands of Smith. Poor defending then allowed sub Tait to round 3 players but somehow shoot wide. Soon after, WAC blasted the ball over the bar from long range. The Stan took a surprising lead in 39 minutes with a goal identical to the 1^st when a long throw and poor defending gave Jones another opportunity to hit the net again. This seemed to wake the Stan up as they pressed for another goal.

In the last minute of the half there were 2 WAC corners, the 2^nd seeing Smith catch and drop the ball before it bounced off Watchman’s foot for him to catch again. The Stan then got a corner which saw the ball ricochet across the goal and off Yates' foot but was blocked. The Stan had somehow managed to go into the break 2-1 up rather than 2 or 3 down.

If both halves were separate legs, the Stan would have still have won the tie overall as they were a different team in the 2^nd half and the home defence began to wilt. The 1^st 5 minutes was all Stan pressure and in the 48^th Laidler and the home keeper went into a tackle which saw Adam get the ball but he did not get past the defence in time to shoot.

A great run by Jones resulted in a corner which resulted in him blasting the ball from outside the box which the keeper dropped for another corner which was headed clear. Jones attacked again before WAC had their 1^st attack of the second half in 51 minutes. Holland then broke free and sped down the wing but his cross was blocked.

The Stan then had a Jones free kick just outside the box which the keeper just got down to save. A long ball to Holland saw him shoot over under pressure. Against the run of play in 62 minutes, Smith went out to block the ball which rebounded into the box and the defence did well to block and clear for a corner.

It was the Stan who were having most of the opportunities to score after this and in 66 minutes a Laidler cross from a tight angle went over the keeper but he got his hand to it to clear via the post. 3 minutes later Smith made a great save from a long shot before having to make another. There was then a period of WAC pressure although the Stan defence dealt with it and in 78 minutes a Johnson shot from the edge of the box required a good save from the home keeper. 2 minutes later a great run and cross by Laidler saw Johnson blast over. Johnson also blasted a free kick over and the Stan held onto their lead to win 2-1.

So out of darkness came the Stan’s 1^st win as they now have the prospect of facing one of their likely promotion challengers, Blyth, on Saturday.

Stan: Smith, Watchman, Dixon, Stoddart, Deagle, Imray, Holland, Johnson, Yates (McCarthy 84), Jones (McKenna 72), Laidler.

Subs not used: Ray, Salim.

Goals: Jones 25, 39.

Yellow Cards: Holland.

Attendance: 84.

Kev Mochrie