On a miserable wet evening, there was a ray of sunshine for the crowd of 101 as the Stan worked hard against Division 1 opposition Consett and put on a good performance. It was the Stan players rather than the men from the former steel town who put on an iron performance. Both teams though put on an entertaining show for the crowd despite the lack of goals. The Stan have now lost goal machine Connor Campbell who has signed for North Shields but Usman Ogidon, a trialist from last Wednesday’s match and a member of the reserve squad, was on the bench again.

The 1^st 20 minutes saw action at both ends but with no real danger. Think of a number and it was the Stan’s number one Jonny Ball who came to mind in 21 minutes when he made a great save from a corner. 2 minutes later Consett shot wide from a corner with the Stan’s 1^st real attack 2 minutes after that. In 36 minutes Consett shot just wide and Ball had to punch the ball away in 39 minutes.

The Stan were more of a threat in the 2^nd half and worked hard even when they didn’t have the ball. Half time saw Brook, Stoddart, Holland, Kerridge, Ogidon and Blackbourne replace Ball, Simpson, Walker, Paterson, Robertson and Sayer. In 50 minutes, a Kerridge free kick into the box saw Anderson’s shot blocked. He eventually tried again, with the best chance of the game, but was blocked again. In 53 minutes there was a great move by Ogidon who made a short pass to Anderson who shot just wide. In 56 minutes Consett shot just wide followed closely by a Stan effort. Consett were getting a lot of the ball but the Stan were working hard including in defence. In 61 minutes a great cross in by Kerridge from the right to Anderson on the left saw him force a great save by the visiting keeper. In 63 minutes Consett shot over. In 67 minutes, Imray and Paterson replaced Charmey and Anderson.

After 80 minutes, on the half way line, Ogidon made a strong tackle but the Consett player over-reacted and the referee asked for him to be replaced with Anderson coming back on after being replaced himself by Paterson. Simpson also came back on for Bailey. In 83 minutes a Kerridge free kick was headed wide then at the other end Brook made a great block to deny Consett a goal. Just after, a Holland cross saw Paterson head just wide when he should have scored. In 87 minutes a great close save by Brooks saw the rebound headed wide. A minute later and Brooks again stopped a close range shot with the rebound shot going over. There had been no goals but a great Stan performance. Ross Simpson had worked particularly hard.

Stan Team: Ball, Simpson, Sayer, Ray, Hall, Bailely, Walker, Charmey, Robertson, Anderson, Patterson.

Subs All Used: Brook, Blackbourne, Holland, Stoddart, Ogidon, Imray, Kerridge.

Attendance: 100

Kevin Mochrie