Another good performance from Stann as they opened the scoring from a player who has only scored one goal in a long career at the club, with two minutes remaining of the first half, and then three more scorers, and kept a clean sheet as well.
Early on Stann had a lot of possession, with neat passing around the pitch, but the visiting keeper had not had much to do. A long through ball from Ponteland which evaded the centre backs but Dan Regan came out to volley the ball to the other end of the field.
On 12 minutes Lee McAndrew passed inside to Leighton Hopper who gave it back to him as he went down the right flank and crossed but Hopper just failed to get his head onto it.
Harry Poole put a superb ball out left for McKenzie Sharpe, who cut inside and curled his shot past the far post.
On 25 minutes Ponteland’s Chris Hibbett hit a strong low dive, with Regan handling comfortably. Two minutes later, a corner on the right for Stann, taken by McAndrew, with Ryan Bailey headed wide.
A good run down the left wing by Sharpe, getting near to the byline, pulled back for Michael Hall but his shot was capably saved.
On 39 minutes Andy Burn saw Ali Stoddart’s great run and threaded the ball through to him, who found Poole but he fired over the bar. Poole then picked out another good run by Stoddart, whose cross was almost poked home by Hopper. Poole, having his best game for the first team, put another great ball through, for Hopper, the keeper came out to challenge and deflected the effort and Ponteland scrambled the ball out for a throw in.
On 42 minutes the best move of the game, so far, when Burn beat three players in a mazy run forward, but his low shot hit the base of the post with the keeper beaten. However, one minute later Poole placed another good ball through for Stoddart and this time he made no mistake with a left foot shot low into the net. (Not seen Ali getting into such forward positions so many times in one half ever before.) A good game, a bit like chess, but eventually a classic move which would open the door for a neat win.
HT 1-0
Within a minute of the restart referee Peter Osgood gave Stann a penalty for an innocuous tackle. Hopper sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0.
Stann made three changes on 51 minutes, Dave Mason, Ross Simpson and Kye Waters coming on for Blackbourne, Stoddart and Poole.
On the hour McAndrew brought out a fine save from Ponteland’s substitute keeper.
Three more changes for Stann on 65 minutes, Dean Imray, Dean Holmes and Kevin Carr replacing McAndrew, Bailey and Laquan Esdaille.
Stann made it 3-0 on 68 minutes with a Burn’s free kick into the area for a diving header from Carr.
Burns marauded down the right, crossing for Sharpe to head over the bar.
On 77 minutes Poole returned to replace Burns.
Sharpe showed his pace on the left flank, but was fouled. Free kick put into the area but was only half cleared to Carr, who deftly put it back into the area, but Ponteland stubbornly defended.
Hopper had a shot deflected for a corner, and Mason had a powerful shot hitting a defender, but the ball would not go into the net. But into added on time Mason put the ball out wide on the right for Carr to put a lovely ball up into the area for Waters, under pressure from a couple of defenders, to run onto and powered home his header.
In all 17 players had a part to play in a good workout. A solid performance, with fine passing and moving, pace and a clean sheet. Once again there was much to admire about this performance. Next will be away at Percy main, and then two testing home games against Whitley Bay and Ashington.
Heaton Stannington: Regan, Stoddart (Simpson), Hall, McAndrew (Imray), Esdaille (Holmes), Blackbourne (Waters), Poole (Mason), Bailey (Carr), Hopper, Burn, Sharpe.
Goals: Stoddart 43, Hopper 46, Carr 68, Waters 90.
Referee: Peter Osgood
Attendance: 101
Brian Pratt