Having deserved to get at least a point out of the last 3 league games, despite being against stronger opposition than they were usually used to in Division 2 last season, the Stan hosted Thornaby hoping to get their 1st league win of the season.
There were 4 changes from Wednesday with Hornsby, Esdaille, Bamborough and Anderson replacing Evans, Stephenson, Watson and Lashley. There was also to be a return to the team from the bench for Stan veteran Richie Hoggins.
The 1st 13 minutes were mainly dominated by Thornaby who regularly put the Stan under pressure. Flynn had to catch after 3 minutes although there was no real threat. 4 minutes later a Thornaby attack was initially cleared before they blasted a shot high and over.
In 9 minutes, the visitors shot just wide in a crowded box. The Stan then had to clear from within the box. The Stan had their 1st attack in 14 minutes when Thornaby keeper Hunt got down to stop a Taylor effort. Thornaby then shot wide before in 16 minutes Hopper passed to Lamb in the box who shot just wide. Thornaby continued to have most of the ball but the Stan were attacking when they could.
A sustained Stan attack in 27 minutes saw a ball by Burn bounce off Hunt for a corner. 2 minutes later and Anderson headed over. Flynn & his defence then had to make a number of clearances. In 38 minutes Anderson advanced on the Thornaby goal but shot straight at Hunt. The half ended with a period of sustained Stan pressure although Lamb was booked for diving when he was actually brought down when he was about to advance towards the visitors’ goal.
The Stan had a good opportunity to take the lead in the 2nd minute of the 2nd half when Taylor sent a ball into the visitors’ box but Hopper hit the post then the ball was cleared when everyone thought he was going to score. The Stan were looking more positive although a Hornsby ball into the box in 52 minutes went high and wide.
Thornaby’s 1st attack of the half saw them take the lead in 55 minutes. Taylor headed backwards from a Thornaby long ball and Flynn could not stop it going out for a corner. The ball from the corner was initially blocked but was then headed into the net at the back post.
The next 10 minutes were quieter, but all of the clear attacks came from the Stan. In 61 minutes, Lamb shot over under pressure. Burn and Slaughter then both had balls blocked. In 66 minutes, Flynn had to save before Hunt easily saved a Stan long ball into the box.
In 73 minutes, a Thornaby ball into the box was luckily missed by everyone. A Stan free kick was then cleared for a corner from which the ball was headed clear. A joined-up Stan attack then saw Anderson put the ball just wide of the right post. Thornaby shot wide in 76 minutes followed by a couple of Stan attacks which came to nothing.
In 81 minutes, the game seemed up for the Stan when Thornaby went 2-0 up through a counterattack which was flicked over the defence then tapped into the net. A Stan free kick was then headed just wide by Taylor but deflected for a corner from which, after a scramble, the ball was put over the bar for another corner. From that, the ball was eventually put wide.
In 86 minutes, a Thornaby cross into the box was deflected for a corner. In the 90th minute, Burn was sin binned for questioning a decision by the referee. Then, from a throw in, the ball was glanced into the net for 0-3. After one more Stan attack & a Thornaby counter, which was stopped by Slaughter, the match was over.
Northern League Division 1 remains a challenge to the Stan as for the 4th league game in a row they created chances but failed to get anything out of the game. The Stan now host Pickering on Wednesday night having already beaten them in the FA Cup.
Heaton Stannington: Flynn, Burn, Hornsby, Esdaille (Johnston 70), Shepherd, Taylor, Bamborough (Bailey 85), Slaughter (C), Anderson (Hoggins 88), Hopper (Cowburn 87), Lamb.
Unused Subs: Purvis, Evans.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Hornsby.
Yellow Cards: Lamb.
Referee: T. Rose.
Assistants: T. Ludlow, J. Harkess.
Attendance: 338.
Kevin Mochrie