Konner Lamb once again wrote himself into the club’s history books as his goal helped Heaton Stannington to a win in their first ever FA Trophy match.
It was a fairly even start to the game with both sides cancelling each other out and neither goalkeeper facing a major test in the opening exchanges. The away side had an opportunity a couple of minutes in with a side-footed half-volley which went harmlessly wide, and on 19 minutes, a cross found the head of Tom Corner who couldn’t get his effort on target.
On 28 minutes, North Ferriby had their first chance which needed some intervention from the home defence. Having broke following an unsuccessful Stan corner, the men in maroon got forward in numbers and piled on the pressure. It was Tom Corner who had the shot on goal, but the shoulder of Joe Shepherd forced it behind.
Eight minutes later, the away side rattled the bar. A launched throw into the six yard box was cleared, but straight back to where it came from. The ball was tossed back into the centre and Corner once again had the chance, a warning shot that they were getting closer to breaching our goal.
Having struggled to create anything particularly concrete, the Stan finally started to show signs of life in attack just before half time. Corkhill fired a free kick from midway into the Stan, Danny Sayer was able to dribble to the by-line, cut a ball into the box for Konner Lamb, who tried to bend one into the top corner, but he was unsuccessful on this occasion.
On the other side of the interval, the Stan had their first shot on target. Kailem Beattie – who had switched from centre-back to left-back – found space to run down the left, crossed for Louis Anderson who stabbed the ball towards goal but the keeper reacted well and got down low to it.
The Stan’s goalkeeper would be called into action moments later from similar circumstances to our previous opportunity. Cadman ran down the right, cut a ball back into the centre for Tarbotton, but the strike was a good height for Corkhill to palm and then catch.
The game’s decisive moment finally arrived on 62 minutes. You can decide whether Joe Shepherd’s ball forward was simply a clearance, or in fact a genius bit of attacking play, but the defender hooked the ball from the clutches of the man he was marking, and it sailed over to Konner Lamb who was onside and in acres of space.
Lamb anticipated the ball, latched onto it perfectly, charged towards goal, took a touch to set himself up for a right-footed shot which he fired past North Ferriby goalkeeper Ben Bottomley with some venom.
Far too many of the Stan’s recent games have been goalfests – fascinating for the neutrals but agonising for supporters – and that’s exactly what they wanted to avoid today. Having had to absorb a lot of pressure and wait patiently for their chance, Dean’s men threw themselves into the challenge to secure progression to the next round.
Half-time substitute and debutant Dan Capewell blocked a shot from Tarbotton on 67 minutes, and Corkhill caught Tilsley’s header from the resulting corner. The away side continued to push but were no match for the valiant Stan defence. A peach of a cross was headed towards goal in injury time, but Corkhill got both hands behind it and that was enough to secure progression to the next stage.
The Stan will travel to old friends Clitheroe – a side they last faced in the FA Cup in 2022 – in the next round of the competition.
Heaton Stannington: Corkhill, Evans (Capewell 46), Sayer (Walker 46), Beattie, Turnbull, Shepherd, Burn, Ellison, Anderson (Harper 80), Hopper, Lamb (Marriott 75).
Unused Subs: Foster.
Goals: Lamb 63.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Joe Shepherd.
Yellow Cards: Beattie.
Referee: Thomas James.
Attendance: 506.
Match Photos: Flickr.
Liam Milburn