The Stan’s last pre-season match saw them host non-league 3rd tier opposition in the form of ex-league club Workington from the Northern Premier league. It was a competitive match that ended with the visitor’s sneaking a late winning goal when a draw would have been more deserving.
The 1st meeting between the 2 teams saw Workington 1st to threaten when Brass had to get down in the 2nd minute to save a shot taken in a busy Stan box. A minute later & the visitors shot well over the Stan bar. After 6 minutes, Capewell headed clear from a Workington corner. The Stan then got their 1st opportunity to score when Robson shot just wide from the edge of the busy Workington box.
The visitors were ahead in the 14th minute when a speculative shot from the edge of the box by a trialist beat Brass & went into the net. After a quieter 5 minutes, there was more Workington pressure in the 19th minute & 2 minutes later Shepherd had to clear. The ball was cleared again for a Workington corner which also saw the ball cleared.
Workington had most of the early possession but from 25 minutes the Stan started to get back into the game when Slaughter blasted the ball well over the bar. In 27 minutes, the Stan were back on level terms when, from a free kick, Hopper blasted the ball into the Workington net for 1-1. Brass had to catch the ball 2 minutes later, but the Stan continued to get back into the match.
In 37 minutes, a swerving ball from Hopper on the right went just left of the Workington post. In 43 minutes, the Stan had to make 2 clearances but the half ended 1-1.
Both teams started the 2nd half positively but were cancelling each other out. A joined-up attack by the Stan in the 51st minute saw the Workington keeper just get to the last ball of the move 1st. In the 60th minute, Pearson advanced into the visitor’s box, beat a player but the ball was then blocked. A Workington counterattack was then stopped by Beattie. A Stephenson shot then went across the goal & out of play.
In 64 minutes, Pearson battled to win the ball & advanced with it but the keeper got to it before he could shoot. It was end to end now & soon after Milburn supplied Storey who crossed to the advancing Hopper, but he sliced his effort over the bar when he had the opportunity to score. Workington had a shot go over in the 68th minute & did the same 2 minutes later with a ball from a corner.
In 73 minutes Workington shot high & wide. In 79 minutes, a Carr corner was cleared & although the ball went back in it was headed clear followed by a Workington counterattack which was cleared. Both teams were working hard although it was the visitors who took the lead in 87 minutes when a ball into the box to Galloway saw his shot deflected off a Stan player & into the net for 1-2. There were 2 minutes of added time but not enough for the Stan to wipe out the late Workington goal.
So, after 4 out of 4 wins the Stan’s last pre-season match saw them lose narrowly to higher league opposition. The real action starts next Saturday when the Stan travel to the coast to take on old rivals Whitley Bay in the FA Cup extra preliminary round & hopefully take a 1st step towards a trip to Wembley.
Heaton Stannington: Brass, Groves (Burns 46), Shepherd (Marriott 66), Robson, Capewell, Milburn (Beattie 46), Hopper, Slaughter (C) (Payne 66), Pearson (Carr 74), Stephenson (Livermore 66), Storey (Errington 74).
Goals: Hopper 27.
Referee: Joel Tilmouth.
Attendance: 255.
Match Photos: Flickr 1 & Flickr 2.
Kevin Mochrie