The Stan went into this match against newly promoted Jarrow on a high after the hard-fought victory against Blyth on Saturday and were looking for their 3^rd win in a row. The Stan made 1 change from Saturday with the surprise return from injury of Jon Jon Wright allowing legend Yates to return to retirement. From the bench, there was a competitive debut for Ethan Tait who played against the Stan last Wednesday night for his old club West Allotment.

The Stan had the 1^st effort when Fratter saved Johnson’s shot in 3 minutes. It only took Wright 5 minutes on his return to score when he ran down the right and chipped the ball over the keeper. It was all Stan until Jarrow forced a save in 16 minutes from Smith. It was 2-0 in 23 minutes when Wright scored an even better goal when he curled a free kick into the net from the right touch line.

Both teams were intent on attacking with Wright denied by Fratter in 34 minutes. It was the Stan who scored again in 34 minutes with probably the most bizarre goal of the season.The Jarrow keeper ran to the corner flag to get the ball but took too long and was pressurised by the advancing Robinson and Holland. He tried to pass the ball back to his centre half in the box but sliced it and sent it into his net for an own goal.

In 40 minutes, Wright again tormented the Jarrow defence but his shot went wide. 2 minutes later and Jarrow pulled a goal back when Ray, under no danger, made a half back pass in the box which allowed Pressling to slot the ball away. The half finished with Wright again trying a shot from the bye line but the ball scraped the bar.

Salim replaced Wright for the 2^nd half and 2 minutes into it Jarrow hit the post. 4 minutes later and there was a great run by Salim, who had a great half, but he was blocked in the box. In 55 minutes, Robinson broke through and the advancing Fratter hit the ball with his hand outside the box but nothing was given. Salim then advanced, twisting and turning in the box, but his shot was blocked. A defender then had to clear Robinson’s cross when Fratter was outside his box again.

It was Jarrow who scored next against the run of play in 56 minutes when a chipped bouncing through ball by Graham lead to Quinn lobbing over the advancing Smith. Both teams were searching for another goal and it was the Stan who were successful in 68 minutes. Salim, under pressure saw his shot blocked by the keeper but it came back to him although his effort went across the goal before eventually came back in for Imray to blast into the net.

3 minutes after the goal and coming on as a sub, debutant Ethan Tait saw his cross ball into the box side-footed into the net by the advancing Imray. 2 minutes later, Salim shot at the keeper before Jarrow countered which required a great save by Smith. Laidler and Holland allowed Tait a header which was cleared followed by a Jarrow attack eventually being cleared. In 76 minutes, a good shot by Tait from the edge of the box was saved by the stretching keeper and his resulting corner was headed out for another which was itself headed over by Deagle.

In 80 minutes, a Tait attack saw the ball hit Mellish’s hand in the box and a penalty was given. While some other Jarrow players were arguing with each other, Mellish was sent off after the booking for handball as he was booked again for dissent. Imray took the penalty but was denied his hattrick when the keeper saved it. The Stan kept attacking and Salim was blocked and Imray headed wide from the resulting corner.

Jarrow had their 1^st effort for a while in 88 minutes when Smith had to catch although they were down to 9 men for the last 5 minutes due to a player being injured and all the substitutions having been made.

After 1 more Jarrow attack it was back to the Stan battering the Jarrow defence and a Laidler free kick hit the bar. It was 6-2 for the Stan in 92 minutes when Tait’s effort was blocked but Salim deservedly then tapped the ball into the net.

So the Stan Army witnessed plenty of goals and a good performance and just as importantly a strong attack force even when the 2 main strikers were substituted. It was a long march home for Jarrow but they had battled and they acknowledged on twitter that the Stan were the better team throughout. Now its back to a shot at securing a trip to Wembley via the Vase.

Stan: Smith, Stoddart, Dixon, Ray, Deagle, Imray, Holland, Johnson (Shaftoe 75), Wright (Salim 46), Robinson (Tait 69), Laidler.

Subs not used: Watchman, McCarthy.

Goals: Wright 5,23, Own Goal 34, Imray 68, Tait 71, Salim 90(+2)

Attendance: 129

Kevin Mochrie