As the 2nd only Scottish club to visit Grounsell Park made their way over the border, with the first being Hearts of Liddesdale in 1966, sad news was being received of the sudden death the day before of stalwart Stan Army member and St Pauli fan Simon Roberts. All thoughts are with his family and especially his partner Helen who attended the match and witnessed a minute’s applause in Simon’s honour before kick-off.

Unusually for a match involving a Scottish (Lowland League) team, it was played on a beautiful sunny and warm day although the dry pitch would have benefited from a downpour. Both teams started on the attack with both forcing early clearances before Regan made a save after 6 minutes. 3 minutes later, after twisting past 2 defenders, Burns shot just wide. 

Salim and Wright put the Welfare keeper under pressure before the visitors and Burns both shot wide. Wright kept looking for a goal and 1st shot over in 16 minutes before shooting wide under pressure. A Campbell effort then rolled across the goal line before Wright passed to Burns who shot wide. Wright also shot wide as the Stan had most of the early pressure and a Stan free kick went over the wall and just wide. 

The pressure paid off for the Stan in 25 minutes Wright crossed from the right and the advancing Campbell shot to make it 1-0. Wright then shot just over before Regan had to clear. Campbell tapped the ball to the advancing Wright in 29 minutes but he hit the post and Campbell’s rebound shot went wide. After 36 minutes, the visitors started to get into the match and shot wide then over. In 40 minutes they were level when Regan punched clear but Whitehill eventually got the ball back and Lucas shot from just outside the box to make it 1-1. The visitors then shot wide in 41 minutes.

There were 4 changes at half time including Brook replacing Regan in goal and he had to punch over the bar in 47 minutes. The visitors were in control after 51 minutes when, during an attack, the ball was not cleared by the Stan defence and it was headed into the net by Sommerville. Campbell was convinced the goal should have been disallowed for handball and was so outraged that the referee decided on an enforced substitution with Salim returning from the bench. Welfare headed just wide from a corner 2 minutes later and had another couple of attacks although the Stan were putting some pressure on again.  

In 60 minutes Wright forced a corner and from a 2nd one the keeper had to catch. Wright took a 3rd corner which was caught direct by the keeper. Overall Whitehill had been more in control so far in this half and in 68 minutes they were 3-1 up when a ball in from the corner flag was passed in the box to O’Reilly who shot into the net as the Stan defence stood still. Wright had a shot blocked in 73 minutes but as the game went on, it was obvious that Whitehill were fitter and had played more matches with their season starting in only 14 days. They were now in control although the Stan were still trying to score and Salim did head just wide but was offside and he then had a corner ball headed clear.  

In 85 minutes, the ball was crossed to the right then back again for Sommerville to head into the net. The visitors then shot over as the Stan fell to bits. In 88 minutes, Whitehill got their 5th when the ball was crossed into the box for the advancing Sommerville to tap into the net and get his hattrick. Wright then attacked on his own and shot wide under pressure but it was too little too late as the Stan lost to Scottish Lowland league opposition for the 1st time.

Heaton Stannington: Regan, Lowes, Miller, Hall, Sayer, Deagle, Jones, Burns, Salim, Wright, Campbell.

Subs (All Used): Kerridge, Parker, Brook, Mason, Holland.

Kevin Mochrie