On a dry but overcast evening, the Stan travelled to Dr Pit Welfare Park. There was one change with Campbell replacing Sharpe on the wing. Hopper remained in the starting 11 after recovering from the dead leg that forced him to leave the pitch during the 1st half on Saturday.

Both teams tried to attack, although most attacks came to nothing, and most of the first half was unforgettable as both teams mainly cancelled each other out and lacked creativity. Unfortunately, this was the half played in day light and it was more difficult to keep up with the increased action in the second half due to the limitations of the flood lighting.

In the 1st 5 minutes Bedlington did get a corner that was cleared but the proper 1st shot came in 9 minutes when Hopper advanced down the right wing & forced Hodgson in the home goal to put the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, Hopper’s header was deflected for another corner which saw Esdaille under pressure shoot from within the 6 yard box & although it looked deflected over the bar, a corner wasn’t given. In 12 minutes a Bedlington attack saw them head just wide. 3 minutes later and Regan was forced to make a save. After a Stan attack that was cleared from the home box, a home player shot through the crowded Stan box and the ball looked like it was going into the net but Regan put it wide for a corner.

Both teams kept trying to attack but with no end product and there were periods of inactivity. When there were threats, more of them came from Bedlington but the Stan dealt with the pressure. The Stan were having few efforts & typical of the lack of finishing on both sides came in 35 minutes when a Regan long ball to Hopper saw him scuff his shot and the keeper easily caught and in 37 minutes when a Bedlington long shot went well over.

The 2nd half started in similar fashion to the whole of the 1st with attacks by both teams coming to nothing. The 1st proper effort came for the Stan in 54 minutes when a Burn high ball into the box was headed well by McBryde. The keeper got up to catch but only did so at the 2nd attempt.

In 55 minutes, Regan caught a Bedlington effort and the home side's calls for a penalty were correctly ignored by the referee. Neither team were managing to hold on to possession for long. In 57 minutes Bailey supplied Hopper, who worked hard all night, and he advanced into the box but was eventually blocked for a corner. Soon after he shot under pressure but his on target effort was deflected for a corner. From it, there was a good chance for the Stan when Hopper headed from the edge of the box towards the net but the ball hit the post and was then cleared off the line by the keeper.

Bedlington countered but Bailey blocked before the player ran back in but shot just wide under pressure. In 63 minutes, a Bedlington corner was eventually cleared but then the ball was blasted back in towards the goal but was blocked for another corner. From it, Regan made a great save. It looked like one goal might win it for either side, and it came for the Stan in 67 minutes when, from a throw in, Burn sent the ball into the box and the advancing McBryde confidently blasted it into the net.

2 minutes later it was 2-0 after Campbell was brought down as he advanced down the left. Burns sent the resulting free kick towards goal and although it was blocked by hitting a defender, Campbell managed to get a follow up shot which he put into the net. It was a great finish. Regan saved confidently in 74 minutes but time was running out for the home side especially as most of the pressure was from the Stan, with much of it from Hopper. The Stan were also defending well when required including by Hopper who was booked as a result of his attack stopping tackle. After an 8 minute gap, where the Stan tried to get a third goal, the match ended with Bedlington heading wide.

After a poor first half, the second half was lit up not by the flood lights but by two Stan goals. The win means the Stan now sit top of the league and next they travel to Boldon on Saturday hoping to make it 4 wins in a row.

Heaton Stannington: Regan; McAndrew; Hornsby; Bailey (C); Hall; Esdaille; Hopper (Dobson 90); Burn; McBryde; Stephenson (Carr 81); Campbell (Proctor 78).

Unused Subs: Imray; Blackbourne.

Goals: McBryde 67, Campbell 69.

Yellow Cards: Hopper.

Referee: Kevin McKitterick.

Attendance: 100.

Kevin Mochrie