A healthy crowd watched the Stan comfortably beat bottom of the league Brandon although they did put up a good fight in the first half. There were 2 changes from last week’s defeat at Tow Law with Baxter and Paterson replacing Middleton and Burns.

The match started quietly until a Hoggins headed effort hit the bar from a corner after 7 minutes. The Stan then attacked again in 8 and Paterson came close in 11 minutes. 2 minutes later and Brandon headed out for a Stan corner which was punched clear by the keeper Greenwood.

Brandon’s 1st clear attack in 15 minutes came to nothing. Against the run of play, the ball rolled into the Stan net in 18 minutes but the soft effort was correctly ruled offside. The pace quickened as both teams tried to attack and Sayer had to head clear after 22 minutes. At the other end Charmey and Sayer worked well together and in 26 minutes, from a Charmey corner, Ray sent a looping header in under the bar for 1-0.

Soon after a long ball saw Hoggins and Greenwood clash. In 30 minutes there was a classic goal when Hoggins attacked on his own, switched from his right to left foot, and shot to the right of the keeper. Baxter unselfishly kept out of his way. In 31 minutes, a Brandon corner ball into the busy box was cleared but the referee gave a penalty for an alleged shove and Claydon converted it for 2-1. It was back to end to end although the Stan only had 2 decent efforts to Brandon’s one. In the 44th minute, a long ball to Hoggins saw him chased by 2 defenders and as he was about to shoot, a sliding tackle saw Haley put the ball in his own net for 3-1.

The Stan had the first corner of the 2nd half although this was followed by 3 Brandon attacks. After a quiet spell, the Stan attacked in 57 and 59 minutes.

In 61 minutes, Baxter scored directly from a free kick through a packed box. It was a blustery day as storm Ciara started to blow but as the wind was diagonal across the pitch, helping Baxter’s ball into the net seems to have been the only impact it had on the match.

The Stan did not appear threatened after this but did try for a 5th with Paterson shooting over the bar after 76 minutes. Burns nose piercing prevented him replacing Hoggins but the match was practically over by then. The Stan kept attacking although Brandon had a late effort in 85 minutes which Ball caught and they also shot wide 2 minutes later although the last chance fell to Paterson who shot wide.

A comfortable victory for the Stan and 3 important home points.

Stan: Ball; Stoddart; Sayer; Ray; Hall; Bailey; Imray; Paterson; Mason (Wilson 67); Hoggins (Kerridge 82); Charmey; Baxter.

Subs not used: Burns; Deagle; Regan.

Goals: Ray 26, Hoggins 30, Own Goal 44, Baxter 61.

Attendance 190.

Kevin Mochrie

2-0 Hoggins

3-1 Own Goal

4-1 Baxter