Heaton Stannington lost for just the second time at home this season – but certainly didn’t disgrace themselves against second-placed Emley in a fairly even contest.

The Stan made a bright start – even brighter than Emley’s illuminous orange strips – and on 3 minutes Connor Walker released Konner Lamb down the right with a lump forward from midway inside the Stan half. Lamb used his blistering pace to get into the box, held the ball up, got to the byline and played it off his defender for a corner – which was unfortunately headed high and wide.

Another chance – and arguably the Stan’s biggest chance of the whole game – came six minutes later. Emley’s goalkeeper sent a high ball into the Stan half which was met by Jay Hornsby and sent Joseph Thompson on a mazy run towards goal, which saw him slip past the Emley full back with ease before running into traffic. As he was closed down, he was able to slip the ball to his right where Lamb was in plenty of space, but the first-time left-footed shot was scooped over the bar. Lamb’s hands went straight to his head – he knew that he should’ve at least hit the target.

Neil de Jesus was man of the match on his league debut three days earlier, and if it wasn’t for the midfield heroics of Marc Ellison, he would’ve had another today. He was first called into action in this game on 20 minutes – a shot from Laurence Sorhaindo was blocked by Mark Turnbull, and the deflection meant that it required de Jesus to tip it over the bar.

Emley were growing in confidence and on 35 minutes, de Jesus had to make two big saves. The first came after Dan Capewell was robbed by Mohammed Qasim, who charged towards goal and tried to fire it low to the far post, no match for Neil however. The Stan defence got the ball temporarily out of danger, but it found its way back to Berchil to the right of the goalkeeper, his effort blocked by the body of de Jesus making himself big.

The only goal of the game came as the result of a free kick, conceded on the corner of the box. The initial effort evaded everyone, but the ball was recycled from deep and found an orange shirt to knock down for Qasim to fire in a half-volley. Emley looked to give themselves some breathing space, and on 54 minutes Sorhaindo should’ve doubled their lead, given time and space to run at de Jesus but the shot was straight at the keeper.

Some good play from the Stan getting from front to back with some fluid football led to the first of two penalty shouts which were ignored by the referee. Lamb looked to have been clattered on the edge of the box as he challenged for a ball lifted towards his head, but play went on and Kane Evans looked to make something happen but a powerful cross was too close to the keeper Lambton who caught it at his near post. Moments later, experienced former-EFL player Adam Clayton hacked one off the line from a corner.

In a similar chance to the one in the first half, Lamb was set away with a ball over the top on 74 minutes after the defender set to mark him missed the header. Lamb raced towards goal and spotted the keeper off his line but there wasn’t enough lift on the effort and it was another big chance gone begging. 10 minutes later Dan Stephenson had a chance to equalise after being fed in the box by Joseph Thompson, but again, undercooked.

One final moment of controversy came in injury time as Konner Lamb was blatantly tripped in the box right in front of the assistant referee, but nothing was given. The Stan’s performance was a big improvement on Wednesday’s goalless draw with Sheffield – the lads will know exactly what they need to work on, but on another day this could have been a very different result. Garforth are next up at home in a rearranged game on Wednesday, before the visit of Ossett on Saturday.

Heaton Stannington: De Jesus, Evans, Hornsby (Beattie 72), Ellison, Capewell, Turnbull, Richardson (Burn 59), Walker (Anderson 72), Thompson, Stephenson, Lamb.

Unused Subs: Marriott, Shepherd.

Supporters Man Of The Match: Marc Ellison.

Yellow Cards: Evans, Walker, Stephenson, Turnbull.

Referee: Glen Hart.

Attendance: 361.

Match Photos: Flickr 1 and Flickr 2.

Liam Milburn

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