The Stan faced Sunderland RCA for the 2nd time in 7 days & although Good Friday kept up to its name with the the Stan deservedly winning & moving up to 3rd in the league, the win was not as by as many goals & didn’t involve a clean sheet on Wearside as it had at Grounsell Park. There were 3 changes from the 4-0 win 3 nights previously at Tow Law with Hornsby, Shepherd & Hopper replacing Sayer, Marriott & Anderson.
By kick off, the heavy rain had stopped & the match was played under relatively pleasant conditions as the Stan Army descended on Wearside on mass to support their black & white team against red & white opposition. After 2 minutes, Hopper advanced & was brought down just outside the RCA box but only a corner was given. From it, taken by Stepheson in the 3rd minute, Scott headed the ball over the keeper & into the net to make it 1-0 for the Stan. Hopper then shot just wide followed by Lashley being flagged for offside.
The Stan Army only had to wait until the 8th minute for the expected 2nd goal when a long ball to the advancing Reid saw him head it into the net. It was all mainly Stan & in 14 minutes a solo run by Hopper saw him pass 2 RCA players & shoot just wide of the post.
It was 3-0 in 18 minutes when Reid supplied Hopper who broke again &, keeping on-side, slotted the ball past the home keeper. The Stan kept attacking & RCA did not have their 1st shot on target until 24 minutes but Brass easily saved. RCA were not giving up but it was the Stan who nearly scored again in 29 minutes when Lashley, supplied by Hopper, slid in & his shot went just wide.
A ball into Lashley saw him head sideways to Reid whose header went just wide. RCA counter attacked but Brass cleared although the offside flag was also up. The home keeper then had to get down to catch followed by another offside RCA counter attack. In 35 minutes, Lashley advanced with the ball, but the RCA keeper bravely got down to catch it. He then stopped a Lashley long range effort. Burn also tried a long range shot but it went over.
A joined-up Stan attack in 40 minutes ended with Stephenson shooting just wide. 2 minutes later, & a Hopper ball into the box was headed clear & Stephenson’s follow up long range effort went over the bar. The Stan kept attacking although the half ended against the run of play with Brass getting down to save an RCA shot.
The Stan made 3 changes at half time & started the 2nd half positively, hitting the post in 48 minutes It was RCA though who scored, in 51 minutes, when a player counter attacked & shot past Brass. 2 minutes later & Hornsby sent a ball into the RCA box but Burn headed just wide. Lashley shot just wide in 55 minutes followed by Brass having to punch clear at the other end. Sub Lennox then shot just wide from a tight angle when he looked like scoring.
Both teams were trying to attack although RCA were getting increasingly physical in their approach to tackling. This was reflected in 62 minutes when a dreadful tackle on Doyle by RCA number 14 saw him having to leave the pitch injured. The RCA player, who already had a yellow card, did not receive another card & the Stan were down to 10 men as they had used all their subs.
The Stan kept attacking though & sub Sayer had a good shot blocked by the home keeper in 67 minutes. Brass had to save from an RCA shot in 71 minutes & soon after he had to catch the ball which had bounced awkwardly from a long-range effort. The Stan though sealed the win in 72 minutes when Hornsby sent the ball into the RCA box for Anderson to head it into the net.
Both teams kept trying to attack but it was only RCA who got another goal when a cross from the right into the Stan box was initially blocked but the ball was then put past Brass in 83 minutes. In 88 minutes, Lennox put the ball over the RCA bar & 2 minutes later he won the ball, avoided a tackle but somehow the ball well wide of the net when he only had the keeper to beat. In 91 minutes, a RCA counter attack saw the ball deflected over the bar for a corner. The match was getting more edgy but ended with the Stan winning 4-2.
The Stan always looked like winning but had to resist some challenging play from RCA & played the last 30 minutes with only 10 men due to injury.
Heaton Stannington: Brass, Turnbull (Palmer 45), Hornsby, Burn, Shepherd (C), Scott (Marriott 45), Doyle, Stephenson, Hopper (Lennox 45), Reid (Sayer 60), Lashley (Anderson 60).
Goals: Scott 3, Reid 8, Hopper 18, Burn 72.
Yellow Cards: Hornsby, Burn, Shepherd.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Dan Stephenson.
Referee: G Mann.
Assistants: E. Mason, J. Knapp.
Attendance: 122.
Venue: Beechbrook, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NZ
Kevin Mochrie