The Stan made it 4 wins out of 4 in their pre-season friendlies as they took on Percy Main of the Northern Alliance Premier division. In front of a bumper crowd, it was definitely a game of 2 halves. The 1st saw not much to write about and only 1 goal while most of the 2nd was played in torrential rain and there were 10 goals, 9 of them for the Stan. There was an official debut, after playing a half as a trialist on Saturday, for keeper Lewis Brass signed form Welsh Premier League side Haverfordwest County.

After 25 seconds, the Stan were in the lead when Lamb crossed to the advancing Reid who headed into the visitor’s net. There were to be no more goals in the 1st half although both teams tried to attack & with the Stan having more of the ball & chances overall. In 11 minutes, a Percy Main player broke through & with only the keeper to beat put the ball just wide when he should have scored. 

In 14 minutes, from a corner, Shepherd headed down but his effort was cleared off the line. In 18 minutes, Hopper headed just over followed by Lamb shooting just wide under pressure. Both teams were trying to get forward, including through counter attacks, and the visitors shot wide twice. In 26 minutes, Lashley forced a save followed by a great cross from Shepherd who crossed to Lamb in the box but he blasted the ball over. Both teams remained positive but most of the attacks, which didn’t come to anything were by the Stan.

The 2nd half started with the Stan going 2-0 up when a ball from a Stan corner was sent into a busy box and sub Mark Turnbull forced it into the net. Percy Main then got a goal back through ex-Stan player McKenzie Sharp who broke past a defender & although his initial shot bounced off Brass, he slotted the rebound shot into the empty goal. 

A 13 minute period though saw a huge change as the Stan asserted their dominance and ensured victory. This started in 52 minutes when Lashley danced through the defence & shot past the diving keeper. 3 minutes later & Bisset passed to Hopper who rounded the keeper to make it 4-1. The torrential rain started in 62 minutes but a minute later it was 5-1 when Cassidy set up a great finish by Bisset. In 65 members Lamb shot just wide but immediately the Stan attacked again through Lamb who passed to Slaughter who made it 6-1. 

It was definitely also the lamb to slaughter in another way now! In 69 minutes, Lamb won the ball, dummied a defender and shot past the keeper from close range to make it 7-1. The Stan kept attacking although Percy Main had a rare attack in 75 minutes when they shot just wide. In 80 minutes, a long ball to Lamb saw him cut into the box & blast the ball past a defender & the keeper.

2 minutes later it was 9-1 when, from a corner, Reid forced the ball into the net. It was double figures in 84 minutes when Cassidy sent a cross into the box for Mark Turnbull. The ball initially hit off the keeper but Turnbull put the rebound shot away from close range.

So it was goals galore as the Stan dismantled Percy Main in the 2nd half after a sluggish start. The only person who will probably be disappointed is Konner Lamb who failed to get a hat trick for the 1st time this season although he still scored 2 goals. Next up on Saturday is an away trip to resurrected Droylsden in greater Manchester.

Heaton Stannington: Corkhill, Evans (Cassidy), Hornsby (Sayer), Walker (Burn), Scott (M. Turnbull), Shepherd, Hopper, Slaughter, Lamb, Reid, Lashley (Bisset).

Subs Used: Brass.

Goals: Reid 1, M. Turnbull 49, 84, Lashley 52, Hopper 56, Bisset 63, Slaughter 66, Lamb 69, 81, Reid or Sayer 83.

Supporters Man Of The Match: 

Referee: Steven Beresford.

Attendance: 210.

Kevin Mochrie.

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