Heaton Stannington are through to the Isuzu FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round for the first time in the club’s history after a comprehensive 4-0 victory over fellow Pitching In Northern Premier League side Newton Aycliffe in terribly wet conditions.

The result was a reverse of the score from the last meeting between these two sides, but this time the game was allowed to finish without any numerical reductions. The Stan made just one change from the league win at Brighouse, Dale Pearson returning to the starting line-up for Bailey Adamson who dropped to the bench.

The away side showed some promise early on, forcing Stan goalkeeper Tom Flynn to collect the ball low at his near post on 6 minutes. Minutes later, a counter attack saw Connor Walker play an exquisite through ball for Leighton Hopper to run onto, but the shot was blocked and cleared by a defender.

The Stan started to gain some momentum and on 13 minutes, Dale Pearson was found by a laser-focused defence-and-midfield-splitting pass by skipper Richie Slaughter, but his one-on-one finish was soft and too central to get past the Aycliffe keeper Kyle Seymour who pushed it low to his right. Pearson would get another opportunity to take the lead on 19 minutes, on the receiving end of a classic Dan Stephenson ball from deep, but his attempt to flick the ball beyond Seymour was batted away.

The breakthrough came on 20 minutes, and just as he did at Brighouse last Saturday, Ben Milburn scored the Stan’s first goal of the afternoon from a Stephenson corner, this time running into the centre to plant a header into the far post behind him. Two-in-two for the centre back who is becoming a firm fan’s favourite in black and white.

Aycliffe tried to hit back and forced Flynn into action twice in the following ten minutes. Their first attempt was a whipped free kick from just in front of Dean and Andy’s dugout which the Stan keeper came out to punch away, and on the half-hour mark, Flynn had to concentrate as an Aycliffe player took a low shot from the edge of a congested penalty area, but he got down to claim it.

The Stan turned up the heat immediately after, and moments after Hopper was denied by the goalkeeper following good work from Connor Walker to carry the ball into the box and a neat pass from Dale Pearson to set up the shot, the Stan would double their lead on 33 minutes. An aggressive press deep into the Aycliffe half returned the ball to Stan possession and began a passing move on the slick, wet playing surface. The 14th pass of the move was a through ball to feed Hopper who drove into the area, cut past a defender onto his left foot and cushioned the ball past the Aycliffe keeper.

The away side almost had a route back into the match on 39 minutes when a dangerous corner was met by a blue shirted head in the box, only to be blocked on the line by Milburn and carried out of danger by a Stan teammate. Before the end of the half, Aycliffe flashed a ball across the six-yard box without someone on the end of it to stab it home, and Flynn and his defence would be required to make a number of stops and blocks to keep out a persistent attack.

The Stan wanted to make sure of progression to the next round and started the second half strong, with Max Storey coming close to his maiden Stan goal on 53 minutes with a first-time shot from the left, too central to be an issue for Seymour. Pearson had another attempt to notch a minute later after being threaded through by a wonderful Alex Payne ball. He did well to hold off his man with his strength, but the finish ended up on the wrong side of the near post.

The third goal eventually came on the hour mark, with substitute Konner Lamb making gains down the left, slipping in Connor Walker who held the ball up at the by-line and cut it inside for Hopper who prodded home his second of the game and fifth of an already-fruitful campaign.

From here, the game became one-way traffic as the forwards all queued up to get their name on the scoresheet. Hopper turned provider for Lamb on 65 minutes, the fans were already celebrating when the ball was slipped under the advancing keeper, but the finish inexplicably struck the base of the post and bounced to safety. Lamb would have another crack five minutes later, cutting in from the right to shoot on his left, but an easy catch for Seymour.

A fourth goal would eventually follow, but only after several other chances to get there were spurned or stopped. On 78 minutes, Lamb found himself in space down the right, playing a peach of a low ball into the centre for Jay Errington whose shot was decent, but matched by Seymour who made himself big. The ball flew up into the air ready for the head of Bailey Adamson, but from six yards out, his attempted plant went over the bar.

With two minutes of normal time remaining, Andy Burn won the ball back on the halfway line, played it forward for Adamson who fed Lamb down the right, again managing to link up for Errington in the centre, but again stopped by Seymour.

Adamson and Errington would both go close again as normal time concluded, but the elusive fourth goal did finally come in injury time and in some style, as Dan Stephenson was found in acres of space in the centre by Konner Lamb. The keeper advanced as Stephenson got into the D, and the ball was cheekily chipped over Seymour to cap off an impressive result and an even more impressive performance. The 287 supporters who braved the driving rain which rarely let up over the course of the afternoon were rewarded for their attendance with arguably the finest showing of the season so far, with the promise of even greater levels still to reach.

The Stan will discover their opponents for the Isuzu FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round on Monday, but focus will return to the Pitching In Northern Premier League for a trip to Ossett United on Tuesday, where the Stan could make it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season, and four on the bounce in all competitions.

Heaton Stannington: Flynn, Evans, Stephenson, Payne (Burn 61), Robson, Milburn, Hopper (Adamson 66), Slaughter (C), Pearson (Errington 61), Walker (Beattie 66),  Storey (Lamb 55).

Goals: Milburn 20, Hopper 33, 60, Stephenson 90 (+2).

Supporters Man Of The Match: Leighton Hopper.

Referee:

Attendance: 287.

Match Photos: Flickr Gallery 1 and 2.

Liam Milburn