Saturday 18th February 2023

Heaton Stannington  13 - 0  Sunderland R.C.A.

Northern League Division 1

Stan at last brought to an end the poor run of 4 consecutive NL1 defeats with this convincing win, with 2 goals in the first 9 minutes, 8-0 by half time and 5 more goals added without conceding, to move up 1 place in the table.

Sunderland RCA had withdrawn their provisional resignation from the Ebac NL but lost their manager Steve Riley and quite a few players, and replaced them with lads from 4 steps below NL1

Home debuts from the start for Declan Bissett, and also when Alfie Marriott came on as a substitute for start of the second half.


In the 3rd minute the goal feast began, Bissett playing the ball out to Leighton Hopper, with keeper Jamie Chappell’s  clearance, which touched Konner Lamb’s boot but Jordan Lashley controlled and slotted low into the corner. 1-0

Six minutes later Richie Slaughter found Hopper, his first effort was blocked be he managed to put it low inside the post. 2-0

23 minutes Jake Turnbull made in 3-0 after a few half clearances ball came out to Turnbull who smashed the ball into roof of the net.

Stan made it 4-0 on 26 minutes from a corner which Hopper flicked on for Mark Turnbull to drive in.

One minute later Hopper won the ball got to the bi-line, cut back to curl a shot in at the far corner. 5-0

It was 6-0 on 36 minutes when a delightful through ball from Mark Turnbull sent leading goal scorer Konner Lamb to hit a low shot into the net.

A mistake by RCA defence let in Lamb but his shot went inches over the bar.

On 43 minutes Josh Walker gave the ball to Hopper who curled the ball low into the net for his hat-trick 7-0

Still time for an eighth on 44 minutes when Ritchie Slaughter cross for Bissett to lay off for Lamb to tap in.


HT 8-0


Nick Cassidy, Alfie Marriot and Andy Burn replaced Jake Turnbull, Walker and Joe Shepherd.

Hopper had a surging run forward with his shot hitting the bar, with RCA putting the ball behind for a corner.

On 52 minutes Burn to Lamb to Slaughter who crossed for Hopper to make it 9-0.

Two more substitutions for Stan as Jordan Watson and James Proctor replaced Lashley and Slaughter.

From a Cassidy corner Burn headed over. But on 62 minutes Lamb got his hat-trick when he ran onto a great pass from Bisset. 10-0

For me, the goal of the match on 64 minutes when Watson got the ball, looked for a pass, none on, so he moved forward and from around 25 yard hit a left foot swerving thunderbolt which no goalkeeper would have stopped. 11-0

It was 12-0 on 71 minutes when Bissett smashed in from close range. On 76 minutes RCA had their first shot which Purvis saved comfortably.

Proctor, a more than useful substitute, made it 13-0 on 78 minutes when Hopper sped down the flank and crossed but Lamb was unable to score from close to the goal line, but Proctor rammed the ball home.

Proctor almost got a second but his shot hit the post.

RCA lads battled on to the very end, a credit, to their manage and club, and deservedly applauded off the field by the crowd


Dean Nicholson said after the match, “They haven’t disgraced themselves, no, they have put in a performance, dug in and stuck to the task, and fair play to them. Nine times out of ten when you play against a side you kind of know what to expect. You know their players, but not this time. The quality of some of the goals and the quality of some of the play was really, really good.”


Heaton Stannington: Purvis,  Turnbull. J (Cassidy 45), Stephenson, Walker (Burn 45), Turnbull. M, Shepherd (Marriott 45), Hopper, Slaughter (C) (Watson 53), Lamb, Bisset, Lashley (Proctor 53).

Goals: Lashley 3, Hopper 9,27,43,52, Turnbull J. 23, Turnbull M. 26, Lamb 36,44,62, Watson 64, Bisset 71, Proctor 78.

Supporters Man Of The Match: Leighton Hopper. 

Referee: Patrick Laws.

Assistants: M. Spicer, J. Ferguson.

Attendance: 254.


Brian Pratt