The Stan’s 5 in a row wining streak came to an end. In front of a record home league crowd of 805, they easily matched their opponents for most of the game but the visitors scored an unexpected late winning goal.
The Stan could have won & were leading until 86 minutes but there were limited scoring opportunities for both teams. There was one change from last Saturday’s fantastic away win against Ashington with Cassidy replacing Burn.
There was a quiet start to the match with both teams trying to attack but with these attacks mainly coming to nothing and, as a result, both keepers had little to do. The balance was altered in 18 minutes when a two footed challenge by Watson saw him get the ball but also the player. With the encouragement of the visiting team, the referee sent him off.
In 23 minutes, a Stan free kick was easily saved by debutant Nash in the visiting goal. Bay then began to assert their player advantage & pressurised the Stan goal for the next few minutes & the Stan had to make 4 blocks & clearances. The Stan did counter in 26 minutes but Lamb, who looked dangerous on the break all night, was brought down. From the resulting free kick Cassidy headed over.
It was actually the Stan who had the 1st clear opportunity to score when, in 30 minutes, the advancing Lamb shot from the left but hit the right post before Nash punched the ball away & the linesman also raised his flag for off side. The Stan were staying positive & Bay had very few clear attacks in the last 20 minutes of the 1st half.
In 38 minutes, things became more even again after Lamb had broken down the left &, with only Nash to beat, was brought down resulting in the offending Bay player Hutchinson being sent off.
The visitors had their 1st clear scoring opportunity of the match in 44 minutes when a blasted effort was blocked by Purvis with his feet. The 1st half had seen few scoring opportunities for either team but ended with both having a player less on the park. Despite the 2 cards, it had been a relatively clean 1st half of football & a friendly atmosphere on the terracing partly due to the presence of a pizza van.
Almost immediately after the start of the 2nd half the Stan won a corner from which Turnbull headed over. The Stan attacked again before Purvis had to come out at the other end to block for a corner from which he made a save.
In 51 minutes Stephenson was up against Nash but couldn’t get his header in. Both teams were trying to attack & in 55 minutes Evans was brought down just outside the Bay box & Cassidy’s free kick went through the wall but straight to the keeper. Turnbull then made a great tackle to block a Bay attack. The Stan then had 3 attacks which the visiting defence dealt with although Anderson was putting increasing pressure on them.
In 59 Bay tried a long range shot which went wide followed by Stephenson doing the same. With the match relatively quiet, Lashley replaced Anderson in 65 minutes. 2 minutes later Evans made a great defensive tackle, but a foul was given & from it Bay eventually shot over.
The stalemate was broken in 69 minutes when Turnbull supplied Lashley who then advanced past defenders & blasted the ball past the keeper from the edge of the box for 1-0.
Two minutes later & a Stan corner led to Bay having to head clear twice. In 73 minutes, Lamb made a good run but shot wide. In 76 minutes, Shepherd headed clear but there was then a joined up Stan attack. Stephenson passed to Hornsby who passed back to Stephenson who then passed into the box to the advancing Slaughter who smashed the ball just over the bar.
A Bay loose ball then saw Lashley supply Lamb who put the ball into the net but the off side flag was already up. In 81 minutes, a Proctor run saw him brought down but nothing was given.
After this period of Stan pressure, Bay eventually got to attack again & headed wide from a corner. The Stan then had to clear again & Purvis then had to get down to catch under pressure. Lashley then ran with the ball & produced a great shot but Nash saved it. Proctor was then brought down as he was about to break.
In 85 minutes, a long ball into the Bay box saw Shepherd head over under pressure from close range. Against the run of play, Bay equalised in 86 minutes when, after the Stan players stopped as they thought a foul was being given, they put the ball into the net. In the aftermath, Slaughter was sin binned in 87 minutes for dissent.
In the 89th minute, the Stan Army were silenced when a Bay player shot through the Stan defence & scored. Although the Stan tried to respond, Bay made good use of the added time to frustrate & hold on.
With Bay sneaking a late win, they remain unbeaten away from home in the league and 2nd in division one. The Stan should be proud of their ability to take on the established teams in the league on an equal footing. Next Saturday the Stan travel across the country to face Carlisle City.
Heaton Stannington: Purvis, Evans, Hornsby, Turnbull, Watson, Shepherd, Cassidy (Burn 61), Slaughter (C), Anderson (Lashley 65), Stephenson (Walker 80), Lamb (Proctor 80).
Unused Subs: Cowburn.
Goals: Lashley 29.
Yellow Cards: Slaughter 8.
Sin Binned: Slaughter 87.
Red Cards: Watson 18.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Stephenson.
Referee: Ryan Moore.
Assistants: C. Mole, S. Bunting.
Attendance: 805.
Kevin Mochrie