After 15 days short of a year since the last time that they had done so, the Stan drew 0-0 at home to share the points with Newton Aycliffe. They had come close to scoring in the 1st half while the visitors had only 1 clear effort on goal. In the 2nd half, Newton Aycliffe got back into the game but both teams ultimately cancelled each other out. There were no changes from Saturday’s win over Bishop Auckland.
On a pleasant autumn afternoon, both teams started positively although there was nothing to report in the 1st 15 minutes apart from 2 flags up against the Stan for offside. After 15 minutes, a Stephenson free kick into the Aycliffe box was headed clear. Most of the action had so far been in the visitors’ half. In 18 minutes, a ball from a Stephenson corner was cleared out to Slaughter whose blasted shot hit a defender & was cleared. Payne then had a shot cleared & 2 minutes later a sustained Stan attack ended with the ball going wide. Another Stan attack was then cleared followed by a Hopper ball across the box which was too fast for everyone else & although it was sent back in the Aycliffe keeper easily caught it.
After 27 minutes, Gordon made a low save from an Aycliffe effort. In 28 minutes, a long ball from Gordon saw the visiting keeper just get to it before a Stan player. Soon after a Slaughter long throw into the box was headed clear. The ball was sent back in, but the keeper caught it from a Payne effort. In 30 minutes, a Stephenson long ball into the box saw a glancing header from Pearson but his great effort went just wide of the post. Soon after there was a sustained joined up Stan attack which was cleared for a corner from which Slaughter blasted the ball over the bar.
It was still mainly all Stan after 33 minutes when Pearson broke but was blocked. There was still no threat from Aycliffe & in 39 minutes Hopper blasted a shot wide. The Stan kept attacking but the half ended 0-0.
A minute into the 2nd half during a Stan attack, although the ball bounced awkwardly the Aycliffe keeper just managed to get to it before a Stan player did. In 51 minutes, Aycliffe broke but Gordon made a great save. The Aycliffe pressure continued & after a 2nd corner Gordon got down to catch. Aycliffe then had a corner which hit off Gordon & avoided crossing the line.
In 56 minutes, a ball from a Stephenson corner was cleared & his follow up shot was blocked. After another Stan attack was blocked, Gordon had to easily catch in 59 minutes followed by another Stan attack being cleared. In 63 minutes, Errington shot wide & the next 4 minutes saw 2 more Stan attacks although they came to nothing.
There was some sustained Aycliffe pressure after 72 minutes that apart from man of the match Shepherd having to head clear came to nothing. In 75 minutes, after a Pearson advance was blocked, Stephenson sent a ball into the Aycliffe box for Pearson, but it was headed clear. Soon after, a long ball to Pearson saw him advance again but the advancing keeper got out to save his shot. From the resulting throw in, Capewell headed wide. A ball was then sent up to the advancing Stephenson, but his deflected shot hit the side netting. 2 minutes later & sub Lamb advanced & passed to Evans but the ball was deflected for a corner which was subsequently cleared.
It was all Stan again now, but the Aycliffe defence were dealing with the pressure. In 87 minutes, Aycliffe had the ball in the net, but the offside flag was already up. An Aycliffe ball then went across the Stan box, but it was too fast for everyone. Into 7 minutes of added time & a Stephenson free kick into a packed Aycliffe box was cleared.
In 94 minutes, Walker sent a ball into Pearson in the Aycliffe box, but the keeper got to it 1st. Aycliffe then had an attack blocked twice resulting in a corner from which Gordon got up to catch the ball. In 96 minutes, Gordon got up to clear & a minute later he easily caught the ball. He then sent a long ball up to Pearson but him & the keeper collided with each other. The final whistle went soon after to confirm a stalemate.
A 2nd clean sheet in a row for the Stan who are undefeated in 5 league game but although they threatened, they failed to score at home for the 1st time this season. The Stan remain in the top half of the table at 10th while Newton Aycliffe remain 20th. The Stan travel on Saturday to Bradford Park Avenue for the 2nd time in 15 days.
Heaton Stannington: Gordon, Evans, Stephenson, Payne (Robson 71), Capewell, Shepherd, Hopper (Lamb 71), Slaughter, Pearson, Walker, Errington.
Subs Not Used: Storey, Beattie, Adamson.
Supporters Man Of The Match: Joe Shepherd.
Yellow Cards: Evans, Pearson.
Referee: Sam Ross.
Attendance: 361.
Match Photos: Flickr.
Kevin Mochrie