The Stan finally got their deserved 1st league win of the season, & lots of goals into the bargain, after 4 defeats in a row when they could have taken something from each match. There were 3 changes from Wednesday with Purvis, Evans and Watson replacing Flynn, Taylor and Anderson.

Both teams started positively but it was the Stan who had the 1st clear chance in the 4th minute when Hopper ran into the box but his shot was blocked by the keeper and Burn’s rebound effort went over. For the next 10 minutes the Stan got most of the ball although the visiting defence were managing to clear frequent  Stan balls into their box and this was a recurring theme until the Stan’s 1st goal in 65 minutes. 

Hopper was working hard and he shot wide in 15 minutes. Pickering then had a few advances into the Stan box but these were dealt with. In 29 minutes Lamb mishit an effort in the Pickering box as the Stan pressure continued but with no end product. In 32 minutes a great cross from Lamb to Slaughter (which was to happen to Pickering late in the 2nd half) saw his long range shot go over the bar. The Stan kept getting the ball into the Pickering box but were thwarted from utilising these incursions and a relatively uneventful 1st half ended 0-0.

2 minutes into the 2nd half Shepherd and Purvis had to clear a Pickering effort. There was then some more Stan pressure as in the 1st half with Evans working well to get the ball forward but it was Pickering who unexpectedly took the lead in the 50th minute. A counter attack saw Jessop outwit 2 defenders and Purvis to shoot into the net past them. It was then back to Stan pressure although luckily a Pickering long past was missed by the advancing player who was supposed to receive it. 

In 55 minutes Hopper supplied Lamb whose shot was stopped by the Pickering keeper who got down to do so. Pickering then had 3 attacks which luckily came to nothing. The 1st of the substitutions to refresh the attack came in 57 minutes with Ward and Cowburn replacing Bambotorugh and Esdaille. It was still mainly Stan pressure although Pickering were looking to break when they could. 

In 64 minutes, Lamb was brought down & the resulting Ward free kick was headed wide by Hopper but deflected for a Stan throw in. From it, in 65 minutes, the ball eventually went to Cowburn outside the box who blasted it into the net giving the keeper no chance and bringing the Stan level. In 67 minutes, Watson made a great clearance. From the resulting Pickering throw in, the Stan counter attacked with Hopper passing to Ward whose shot deflected off a defender but the keeper then stopped it. 

The Stan were ahead in 69 minutes when Shepherd passed to Lamb who volleyed the ball into the net. The Stan were growing in confidence & in 71 minutes Ward cut inside a defender & shot but the keeper got down to put the ball out for a corner. From it, Shepherd sent the ball to Ward who supplied Hopper in the 6 yard box who made it 3-1. 

The Stan went further ahead in 76 minutes during an attack when Ward was blocked but Stephenson, with his 1st touch after coming on as a sub, came in from the right & shot from a tight angle into the net. 2 minutes later & Pickering attacked with the ball going across the Stan goal but was put out for a corner. The Stan then had to clear again but took the opportunity to counter and they did so again soon after but Hopper’s shot was blocked. The Stan were still pressurising & a Burn free kick into the box landed with Taylor at the far post but he was denied a chance to shoot. 

The Stan made it 5-1 in spectacular fashion in the 90th minute when a Burn low long range effort beat everyone. A great positive last 25 minutes ended with another Stan effort, by Cowburn, which was caught by the visiting keeper.

The Stan deservedly won & convincingly so. Although they dominated from the start, it did not look like a win would come as they went a goal down due to a counter attack. Some cunning substitutions and the strength, positivity and resolve of the team meant that once the 1st goal came a win was not really in doubt. Encouragement also came from the Stan Army who responded with appreciation more loudly each time a goal was scored. The Stan are back on the road to Wembley on Saturday and it is a long road as they travel to Clitheroe in Lancashire.

Heaton Stannington: Purvis, Evans, Hornsby, Watson (Taylor 85), Esdaille (Cowburn 57), Shepherd, Bamborough (Ward 57),  Slaughter (C), Hopper (Hoggins 81), Lamb (Stephenson 74), Burn.

Goals: Cowburn 65, Lamb 69, Hopper 71, Stephenson 76, Burn 90.

Supporters Man Of The Match: Richie Slaughter.

Referee: J. Arrowsmith.

Assistants: P. Clayton, I. Woodward.

Attendance: 190.

Kevin Mochrie