As pre-season continued, the Stan made the journey down to Tameside, Manchester to take on the newly reformed Droylsden FC. The hosts were playing in only their third game in three years after withdrawing from the Northern Premier League Division One due to the financial impact of the COVID crisis in 2020. A large number of fans lined the terraces of the Butcher’s Arms Ground, including a healthy cohort of Stan supporters.

Despite the atmosphere created in the stands, the match itself started slowly as both teams got the feel of unfamiliar opposition. The Stan soon found a decent spell of possession with Cassidy firing over the Droylsden goal before whipping in a low free kick that Lamb touched just wide. Lamb nearly capitalised on a turnover a few minutes later, this time just missing wide to the keepers left.

The next ten minutes saw Droylsden apply some pressure of their own, however the resulting shot and crosses failed to really trouble the Stan defence or Brass in goal. Brass made a comfortable save off a low deflected shot whilst Lamb, seeming to slip on the rain slicked surface, missed high over the Droylsden net. On the 29th minute Bisset and Hornsby combined to maintain possession down the left wing before Walker floated a tempting cross just out of reach of Lamb and Burn running into the box. Lashley and Bissett rounded off a good spell of Stan pressure with two long range efforts, Lashley first bringing a strong save from Droylsden’s triallist keeper before Bissett’s low drive trickled past the post. Droylsden answered with a couple of long range efforts of their own though neither required the intervention of Brass.

A tight first half saw the sides head into the break scoreless, with Heaton perhaps just edging the game in terms of possession and the quality of chances.

It was more of the same in the second half as Lashley again tested the Droylsden keeper from distance, this time his shot parried out for a corner. The game once again turned into a midfield stalemate with few quality chances for either side until the 56th minute when Stephenson, on as a substitute, played in Burn. His shot was well saved, though the ball hung tantalisingly in the air. Bissett bravely attempted to get his head to the loose ball, picking up an injury in the process before himself being replaced by debutant Tomas Boothroyd.

Boothroyd’s pace and direct play made an immediate impact, first being brought down in the box, although appeals for a penalty were waved away by the referee. Lamb then blazed just over. Skipper for the day, Joe Shepherd first cleared a Droylsden cross before placing a side footed effort of his own just wide following a corner from Stephenson.

The Stan finally made the breakthrough on 84 minutes following another surging run from Boothroyd. His through ball found Lamb who squeezed a low shot through the home keeper, the ball just crossing the line ahead of a Droylsden defender. The Stan continued to keep the home side pinned back in their own half and fashioned a couple of half chances before the final whistle brought an end to a hard-fought game in challenging conditions.

The Stan face a significantly shorter journey to Blyth Town on Wednesday 19th July before rounding off preseason action against Scottish opponents, Hutchison Vale on Saturday 22nd.

Heaton Stannington: Brass (Corkhill 59), Cassidy (Stephenson 59), Hornsby, Burn, Evans, Shepherd, Bisset (Boothroyd 62), Walker, Lamb, Doyle, Lashley.

Goals: Lamb 84.

Supporters Man Of The Match: 

Attendance: 883.

Venue: Butchers Arms Ground, Droylsden, Manchester M43 7AR

Sam Henderson.

Video Highlights

Video from Heaton Stan TV

Video from Droylsden Football Club