The last time the Stan visited Benfield in a NE6/NE7 league derby was August 2000 when they were beaten 5-0. They more than made up for this tonight both in their performance & the result as they came away clear winners in the 1st Northern League match between these 2 local rivals.
This fantastic win for the Stan also saw Benfield lose at home in the league for the 1st time this season. There were 3 changes from Saturday’s defeat to Bishop with Walker, making his 1st start, Turnbull & Lashley replacing Slaughter, Taylor and Proctor.
Both teams started positively. Lashley especially was working hard & putting pressure on the home keeper & in 3 minutes a Burn effort was put round the post by him. Benfield were also up for it & hit the Stan bar in 6 minutes. The Stan were 1-0 up in 8 minutes when Anderson won the ball & passed to Lamb who rounded the keeper who got down to try unsuccessfully stop him slotting the ball away.
3 minutes later & Lamb ran in on goal but the keeper got to the ball 1st. The keeper did the same again & on the 3rd occasion Lamb shot over. It was almost all Stan now as they sought a 2nd goal. Benfield then had a couple of attacks with the ball being headed clear in 14 minutes & a ball being headed across the Stan goal in 18 minutes but there was no one there to make contact with it.
The Stan extended their lead though through a great goal in 22 minutes when a ball to the advancing Anderson saw him blast it into the net. 2 minutes later & the Stan had 2 corners with Shepherd heading wide from the 2nd. In 27 minutes a Benfield free kick was deflected over the Stan bar. The Stan then also had a free kick cleared. In 33 minutes, a Lamb shot was blocked & Turnbull slid in but his rebound shot went wide when he should have scored.
Benfield were trying to attack but the pressure was mainly from the Stan & in 35 minutes the home keeper had to get down to stop a shot from Anderson. Lashley passed to Anderson who passed back to Lashley who, with only the keeper to beat, somehow put the ball over the bar. The Stan kept attacking & in 38 minutes Burn shot over from a corner. The home keeper soon after deflected a Lamb shot out for a corner. From an undeserved Benfield free kick in 40 minutes, Purvis made a great save.
In 42 minutes the Stan got their deserved 3rd goal. From a corner, the home keeper made a double block with the ball then going out to Lashley who blasted it off the bar & Lamb was there to head into the net. Anderson then made a great run down the left before being chopped down. In the 46th minute Benfield attacked resulting in one of their players going 1 on 1 with Purvis & slotting past him for 3-1.
After almost continuous attacking by the Stan in the 1st half, the 2nd half was a different affair with the team having to defend for much of the half, & very successfully so, although also trying to attack when they could.
Benfield started on the attack although the 1st clear chance of the 2nd half came in 51 minutes for the Stan when a ball to Lamb at the back post saw him sending the ball towards the net but the keeper managed to put it out for a corner.
Until the 60th minute Benfield only advanced through counter attacks but from then they began to put pressure on the Stan. Benfield shot over in 61 minutes & then they forced a great save from Purvis. In 65 minutes, Brayson broke through & was 1 on 1 with Purvis but the keeper made himself big to pull off a great block. The Stan were defending well but also breaking when they could.
In 75 minutes, Benfield headed just wide followed by Stephenson shooting wide from a tight angle. Anderson shot just wide in 80 minutes but 3 minutes later Purvis punched clear. Although the Stan were defending well, including through Hornsby, they were also still looking to create opportunities to score & they did so in 87 minutes through a 40-yard screamer from sub Bamborough.
The last 4 minutes saw Benfield seek another consolation goal although the match ended with the Stan shooting wide. In the 1st half, the Stan gave their best performance of the season and could have even scored 6 & were unfortunate to let in a goal just before half time. In the 2nd half it was backs against the wall & they did not concede but they also tried to be positive & as a result scored a late wonder goal.
What a night. The Stan Army, who were in the majority tonight, now travel to Northallerton on Saturday.
Heaton Stannington: Purvis, Turnbull, Hornsby, Walker (Bamborough 77), Watson, Shepherd, Lamb (Proctor 69), Burn, Anderson (Ward 90), Stephenson (Johnstone. 90), Lashley (Cowburn 82).
Goals: Lamb 8, 42, Anderson 22, Bamborough 87.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Joe Shepherd.
Referee: Joel Tilmouth.
Assistants: C. Kitson, M. Katoroz.
Attendance: 371.
Venue: Sam Smith's Park, (off Chesterwood), Benfield Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE6 4NU
Kevin Mochrie