With no game this Saturday, the Stan kept fit and considered options for next week’s Senior Cup tie against Whitley Bay with a friendly against Northern Alliance Premier team Newcastle Blue Star who are based in Scotswood and are not linked to the original Blue Star.

The Stan started in control playing some fast flowing football and headed over after just 2 minutes. Josh Holland was performing some great runs down the right wing and after 4 minutes he sent a great cross in for the attack but it was missed by everyone. Blue Star then countered and shot just wide under pressure. Hoggins then won the ball in the Stan half but shot over under pressure. In 9 minutes the Stan attacked again but Star countered and shot just wide. The visitors attacked again and shot just over.

There was then a sustained period of Stan pressure with some good joined up play and a number of efforts. In 16 minutes, Hoggins passed in the 6 yard box to Dan Robinson who was blocked and dispossessed. The referee surprisingly awarded a penalty and Kerridge’s effort saw the keeper get a hand to it but it was into the net for 1-0 after 17 minutes.

Kerridge then saw a long effort blocked and a minute later (19) it was 2-0 when a Robinson cross across the goal was blocked and Jack Cooper tapped the ball into the net for his 1^st goal for the club. In the process the Blue Star keeper got injured and had to be replaced.

In 26 minutes, a Blue Star attack saw them win a corner but the ball was headed away. 4 minutes later they had another corner which went over the bar. Their keeper then had to catch from a close header. He then caught a shot from Cooper before Cooper shot again but just wide.

The Stan pressure continued and in 37 minutes the visiting keeper had to punch the ball clear. They did then attack themselves with Brook punching clear. There was some good Stan passing taking place and in 42 minutes, Cooper blasted the ball just wide of goal. Brook then had to catch at the other end although the half finished with Stan comfortably in the lead.

The 2^nd half started with 3 Stan substitutions, including Regan replacing Brook in goal, and with a number of Stan attacks. Blue Star eventually attacked after 50 minutes but the Stan countered and had 2 corners with the Star keeper eventually having to catch.

In 57 minutes, Regan had to make a save before the Star keeper had to make a block. He then blocked a long shot from Robinson. In 68 minutes, Cooper shot wide. Holland then saw a cross blocked but the ball went out to sub Wilson whose shot went just wide.

In 75 minutes, a Blue Star cross across the goal was missed by a defender and Regan and was tapped in for a goal for the visitors. Blue Star were getting back into the game and providing a challenge for the home team. In 80 minutes though the Stan saw a free kick go wide before the visitors shot just wide.

Blue Star then headed just wide before attacking again. Robertson then had a shot blocked at the other end before Holland passed to Martin who was initially blocked but then shot over. Blue Star didn’t give up though and won a corner. The ball from it was headed away but came back in and across the Stan goal before being headed just wide.

In 85 minutes though the Stan sealed victory when Campbell advanced and flicked the ball over 3 defenders before putting it into the far right corner of the net. A good work out all round and, despite a good effort by Blue Star, it was a relatively comfortable victory in the end for the Stan.

Team: Brook (Regan 46); Martin; Lowes; Wear; Bennett; Cooper; Holland; Davidson; Robinson (Robertson 46); Hoggins (Campbell 46); Kerridge (Wilson 57).

Goals: Kerridge 18(pen), Cooper 19, Campbell 85.

Attendance: 80.

Kevin Mochrie