After the disappointing home draw v Birtley last week the Stan made wholesale changes to the line up for the trip to Tow Law with Ball, Stoddart, Imray, Mason, Sayer and Hoggins all returning at the expense of Regan, Bailey, Wright, Kerridge, Wilson and Baxter.

The hosts, who had won their previous six games, included the veterans Jeff Smith, Barrie Smith and Matty Moffat but there was no place for Dan Bennett who had recently left the Stan for the Ironworks Ground.

Tow Law kicked off attacking the Clubhouse End with a strong wind at their backs and Ball was called into action as early as the 4th minute to claim a header. The Lawyers continued to attack and Moffat wriggled into the box in the 11th minute but Ball was out quickly to block with his feet. Moffat should have given the hosts the lead 3 minutes later when he latched onto Ray's weak back header but Ball spread himself brilliantly to block his close range volley. The Stan finally got into the Tow Law half and Burns sent Charmey into the box but his deflected shot was straight at Graham, Burns went closer a couple of minutes later when his shot from 25 yards beat the keeper but clipped the top of the bar. However it was Tow Law who deservedly took the lead on 32 minutes when Russell broke from deep and although Stoddart held him up on the edge of the box the ball fell nicely for Moffat to side foot a shot under Ball and into the net.

Jeff Smith was booked a minute later for a foul on Burns and in the 35th minute Mr Bell made the first of many baffling decisions as Hoggins won a header just inside the Tow Law box before being clattered by the advancing Graham. Astonishingly the referee awarded a free kick to the sheepish keeper and as Hoggins received lengthy treatment the Tow Law left back and Secretary discussed their good fortune.

Burns was again fouled by Smith but stayed on his feet and shot wide but Tow Law responded with a free kick that drifted wide before Moffat shot just past the post after being afforded too much room. On the stroke of half time Graham came racing out of his goal and Burns beat him to the ball but the keeper was able to recover and collect his weak cross.

HT: Tow Law 1 - 0 Stan

The second half got off to a dream start for the Stan as Sayer broke into the box and although his cross was blocked it fell nicely for Burns to lash into the roof of the net from 10 yards just 24 seconds after the restart.

The Stan were in the ascendancy now and with the wind at their backs they pinned Tow Law in their own half but the quality in the final third was missing, Mason came closest to giving the Stan the lead after controlling a ball on his chest and volleying from 18 yards but Graham made a fine diving save before a good run from Sayer saw his cross clear the bar.

Russell broke for the Lawyers on 62 minutes and a great interception by Hall seemed to have cleared the danger at the expense of a corner, from it Stoddart cleared a header off the line and as the ball was recycled a great tackle inside the box halted Smith in his tracks. However once again Mr Bell had a different view of the incident to everyone else in the ground and amazingly pointed to the penalty spot, the Stan were furious and all 11 players surrounded the Ref with Middleton being shown a red card for questioning the referee's impartiality. Charmey managed to calm things down and got Mr Bell to speak with his Assistant who was better placed to the see the incident but despite the Assistant confirming that the ball had been won cleanly Mr Bell refused to change his mind. Moffat stepped up to take the penalty and struck it well but Ball sprang brilliantly to his right and was able to push the ball onto the post, justice had been done but the Stan would play the last 25 minutes with 10 men.

Baxter and Paterson were introduced for Hoggins and Charmey and Paterson was inches away from getting on the end of Stoddart's free kick in the 73rd minute, but disaster struck for the Stan 4 minutes later when Oldfield wasn't closed down and his well hit shot from 25 yards dipped over Ball to regain the lead for the hosts.

Tow Law should have put he game to bed on 80 minutes but Milner headed wide from close range and then Mr Bell was at it again when they broke clear with 3 forwards bearing down on Ball's goal unchallenged, fortunately for the Stan the ref pulled them back to give them a free kick 40 yards from goal instead.

Mr Bell then had a chance to atone in the 86th minute as a cross from Stoddart was played into the box and Paterson was pushed over, it would have been a contentious penalty but an absolute stonewaller compared to the earlier one, but he waived away the appeals as the Tow Law players held their breath.

FT: Tow Law 2 - 1 Stan

The Stan had been far from their best and at times in the first half couldn't get out of their own half as clearances were mis hit and passes went astray, but they were well on top with the wind at their backs when Mr Bell intervened. Middleton only has himself to blame for the red card, although most of the Stan players could have also been disciplined and justice was eventually done with Ball's brilliant penalty save, but there can be no denying that the incident turned the game in the Lawyer's favour.

I have no doubt that Mr Bell is a competent Referee but once again we saw a young official who knew he was being assessed make error after error and have a massive influence on the result of the game.

Ball will be disappointed with both goals and the Stan lacked quality in the final third but the overiding feeling was that we had been robbed of at least a point against promotion rivals.

The result saw Tow Law leapfrog the Stan who fell to 8th place in the table as Billingham Synthonia, Crook and Carlisle also won.

Hopefully we can bounce back immediately starting at home to Brandon on the 8th February.

Team (4-5-1): Ball; Stoddart, Hall, Middleton, Ray; Burns (Wilson 81 Min), Imray, Charmey (C) (Paterson 68 Min), Mason, Sayer; Hoggins (Baxter 68 Min)

Subs: (Not Used): Deagle, Fiedler

Goals: Burns 46

Att: 55

Simon Lansley