The Stan climbed up the misty & cold hills to Tow Law to play one of their games in hand & because of winning 4-0 there also climbed back up the league table to 4th. There were 5 changes from last Friday night’s win against Sunderland RCA with Brass, Turnbull, Scott, Stephenson & Anderson replacing Corkhill, Shepherd, Palmer, Slaughter & Hopper.
The Stan started on the attack & the 1st 20 minutes saw one way traffic as the Stan, & especially Lashley, continually attacked the home goal. In 3 minutes Lashley supplied Marriott but the home keeper manged to get to the ball. 2 minutes later, & Anderson’s shot was put over by the keeper. The ball from the resulting corner was initially cleared before a high ball was sent back into the box & headed down by Marriott but the keeper got to it. There was nearly an own goal when a backwards flick by a home defender was intercepted by the keeper.
A joined up Stan attack in 10 minutes saw Sayer supply Doyle with a great chance but he put the ball just over the bar with the keeper just in front of him. Lashley then supplied Reid who flicked the ball wide of goal, but the flag was up for offside anyway. A bad tackle on Stephenson in 14 minutes saw a free kick cleared. Tow Law tried to counter but were blocked. The Stan pressure continued & Stephenson shot over from a free kick in 19 minutes.
The expected Stan goal came in 21 minutes when a Stephenson ball to the advancing Lashley saw him blast it into the top left-hand corner of the net from just inside the box. It was a great goal. The 1st proper advance by Tow Law came in the 23rd minute resulting in 2 attacks cleared. Anderson then countered but the move ended with Reid blasting over the bar.
In 27 minutes, Tow Law had their 1st shot when they shot well over the Stan bar. In 29 minutes, the advancing Lashley received the ball & confidently shot & although the home keeper got his hand to it he couldn’t stop the ball going into the back of the net for 2-0 to the Stan. Almost immediately. Sayer sent the ball into the box but Lashley put it over the home bar.
In 34 minutes, an injury to Doyle, who had been playing well, led to him being replaced by Cassidy. In 40 minutes, a deflected Tow Law shot was easily caught by Brass. In 41 minutes, a joined-up attack by the Stan saw 2 shots blocked before Anderson put the ball in the net but the offside flag went up. Lashley then broke forward & his diagonal shot hit off a defender for a corner.
In 43 minutes, the home keeper had to save from a Turnbull effort as the Stan attacks continued. This was followed by a rare home attack which resulted in Brass getting down to catch the ball. The half ended with a Cassidy corner from which the ball was initially blocked but he sent it back into the box only for Anderson’s overhead kick to go over the bar.
The 2nd half started on similar lines to the 1st with Reid hitting the outside of the post in 47 minutes. The Stan were 3-0 up after 49 minutes from a corner which saw the ball headed across goal then sent back into a crowded 6 yard box with Scott managing to get the ball into the net at the far post. In 52 minutes it was 4-0 when Burn, after being supplied by Anderson, sent a diagonal ball into the box & it went into the net off the far post.
In 56 minutes, a sub Lennox rebound shot after a blocked Cassidy free kick resulted in the ball going in the Tow Law net again but a player was offside. A minute later Lennox supplied Reid whose blasted shot was well saved by the home keeper. In 60 minutes, a ball from a Stan corner was cleared off the line. 2 minutes later & the home keeper blocked an Anderson shot. The resulting corner saw the ball sent across the home goal. Soon after Cassidy was brought down just outside the box & Lennox’s free kick saw the keeper tip the ball over the bar.
The Stan kept attacking although Tow Law had 3 rare attacks in 76, 78 & 80 minutes. 2 minutes later & a long ball to sub Palmer saw him shoot just wide as the keeper advanced to narrow the angle. Burn then shot wide & in 88 minutes a header from a Stan corner was blocked on the line. In 89 minutes, Burn shot wide & this was followed by the advancing Stephenson being brought down in the home box but nothing was given. As the mist set in & the rain increased, the Stan kept pressing until the final whistle with Burn having a long range shot saved followed by him shooting just over the home bar.
It was a comfortable win for the Stan as they accumulated more points than in the whole of last season & with 8 games still to play. Credit though must be given to the home keeper who made some great saves & blocks. The Stan are now away on Easter Friday night at Sunderland RCA so cross over the Wear & hop down to Ryhope to show your support.
Heaton Stannington: Brass, Turnbull (C), Sayer (Hornsby 66), Burn, Scott (Shepherd 53), Marriott, Doyle (Cassidy 34), Stephenson, Anderson, Reid (Palmer 66), Lashley (Lennox 53).
Goals: Lashley 21, 29, Scott 49, Burn 52.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Andy Burn.
Referee: Nick Vincent.
Assistants: B. Beattie, C. West.
Attendance: 79.
Venue: Ironworks Road, Tow Law, County Durham, DL13 4EQ
Kevin Mochrie