On a beautiful sunny & warm evening there was a choice of both football & cricket at the Boldon Colliery Welfare Ground but for the small contingent of the Stan Army present they were glad that they chose football. They still witnessed a six though as the Stan won 6-0 in a mainly one-sided match.
It was the Stan’s 2 nd pre-season match for 2025-26 & their 1 st away from home as they crossed the Tyne to take on Boldon CA of Northern League Division 2.
From the bench, there were debuts for Heaton Stannington A keeper Zamo Khalil, new signing Max Storey & a trialist.
The Stan dominated from the start and although they had numerous chances, including Payne and Burn shooting just wide in the 10th and 16th minutes respectively, the 1st goal didn’t come until the 21st minute when Pearson, who had already had a number of efforts, broke forward into the Boldon box from a ball over the top to him and confidently shot under pressure past the keeper.
2 minutes later the keeper saved another effort from him followed soon after by Stephenson shooting just wide. After about 36 minutes, Boldon managed to keep the ball in the Stan half for a while and forced a good save from Brass. In 44 minutes, the Stan were 2-0 up when, after Pearson had been fouled, Stephenson scored direct from the resulting free kick from just outside the Boldon box.
6 minutes into the 2nd half and the Stan were 3-0 up when Pearson again broke forward and confidently slotted the ball past the keeper. In 58 minutes, hungry looking sub Errington made a great run then shot just wide. Errington got his goal in 74 minutes from a penalty after Robson had been brought down.
In 78 minutes, with only their 2nd clear effort of the 2nd half, Boldon should have scored but the effort was sliced wide. A minute later and Stan sub keeper Khalil had to get down to save twice in a row.
In 82 minutes though the Stan scored their 5th when Errington scored again as his deflected shot beat the keeper.
In the 87th minute it was 6 for the Stan when debutant sub Storey blasted into the net from the edge of the box.
It was a very comfortable and confident performance from the Stan against opposition who had started pre-season really well and were unbeaten after 3 games. New signing Dale Pearson made it 4 goals in 2 games although the goal of the evening was Dan Stephenson’s one direct from a free kick past Boldon’s trialist keeper who despite the score put on a good show.
On Saturday, in a rerun of the recent Senior cup final, the Stan host Morpeth Town in a friendly.
Heaton Stannington: Brass (Khalil 60), Groves (Burn 68), Stephenson (Payne 60), Robson, Capewell (Shepherd 60), Marriott (Milburn 46), Payne (Beattie 46), Burn (Storey 46), Pearson (Trialist 60), Slaughter (C) (Marriott 60), Hopper (Errington 46).
Goals: Pearson 21, 50, Stephenson 44, Errington 74, 82, Storey 87.
Referee:
Attendance:
Match Photos: Flickr.
Venue: Boldon Colliery Welfare Ground, West Boldon, South Tyneside NE35 9JP
Kevin Mochrie