A competitive first half at the Calvert Stadium with the hosts unfortunate to be a goal down, with Stan holding firm in the first 20 minutes of the second half, eventually ran out clear winners with 4 goals in the last 22 minutes.

Both sides had weak efforts in the opening 20 minutes, with neither goalkeeper troubled.

On 24 minutes Louis Anderson was ruled offside as he ran through for Lamb’s exquisite pass. Looked a poor decision. Straight from the free kick Town gave a through ball for Jonathan Shepherd, leaving him one on one against Greg Purvis. Stan keeper parried his shot back to Shepherd, but he smashed the ball well wide of the far post. Could and should have been 1-0 to Northallerton, but well done Purvis.

Four minutes later and Stan took the lead when a low pass from Dan Stephenson gave Lamb the chance and he drilled it in. 0-1

Two minutes later Stan fans were baffled when Anderson was brought down from behind in the area. No penalty as the referee suggested the ball was won fairly.

Stan captain Joe Shepherd somehow managed to kick a shot clear from under his own crossbar.

On 44 minutes Northallerton’s leading goal scorer this season, Nathan Stephenson, fired low from the left side of the box with his shot wide of the far post.

As the half closed Dan Stephenson was injured in a poor challenge.

A clinical finish from Lamb is the difference between the two sides as Town wasted 3 opportunities to score.

H.T. 0-1

Northallerton’s previous 3 NL matches had ended in draws so Stan expected and saw Town restart with determination to score. Nathan Stephenson came close on 59 minutes when his shot hit the bar with Purvis beaten.

Kane Evans came on after 67 minutes to replace Jordan Lashley. A cynical foul by Anthony Snook on Lamb on 69 minutes. No booking! Stan almost doubled their lead on 70 minutes when they hit the post and it was cleared off the line.

Stan were not to be denied and doubled their lead on 71 minutes. A magical pass from Dan Stephenson to Anderson and he drove into the top corner for his 6th goal of the season. Anderson was booked a minute later for pulling the shirt of Snook as he saw to drive forward.

James Proctor came on for Lamb on 81 minutes and with his first two touches scored within a minute, when Max Cowburn’s ball through the middle gave Proctor the chance to round a defender and roll the ball past keeper Sam Taylor.0-3

Matthew Ward rounded Taylor on 86 minutes but he was pulled down. Yellow card and penalty, Ward sending keeper wrong way to make it 0-4.

Goal of the match for me in added on time with a glorious 35 yard pass from Cassidy out left for Jay Hornsby, known for his strong formidable tackling, showed us another of his repertoire, until now unseen, when from an angle he smashed low and into the far corner. 0-5

Dean Nicholson said afterwards, “if someone had said at the start of the week you are going to go and score 9 goals and concede one and get 6 points, I would have laughed. The joy of the day is that we deserved both wins.”

Heaton Stannington: Purvis, Turnbull, Hornsby, Walker (Cowburn 78), Watson, Shepherd, Lamb (Proctor 81), Burn, Anderson (C) (Ward 78), Stephenson (Cassidy 78), Lashley (Evans 67).

Goals: Lamb 28, Anderson 71, Proctor 82, Ward 87, Hornsby 90 (+ 3).

Yellow Cards: Anderson.

Supporters Man Of The Match: Konner Lamb.

Referee: Michael Studholme.

Assistants: C. West, D. McCauley.

Attendance: 210.

Venue: The Calvert Stadium, Ainderby Road, Romanby, Northallerton, North Yorkshire. DL7 8HA

Brian Pratt

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