The 1st league game of the season saw the Stan welcome newly promoted Lincoln United to Willow Park for the 1st time. It was a competitive game although it looked like being a 0-0 draw until Pearson scored in the 90th minute to give the Stan all 3 points. So, it was déjà vu from last week’s FA Cup win with the Stan getting another hard fought 1-0 win, keeping a clean sheet and having the goal in both games scored by new signing Dale Pearson. There were 4 changes from the Whitley Bay cup match with Brass, Milburn, making his 2nd debut, Slaughter and Adamson replacing Flynn, Robson, Walker and Burn.

On a sunny summer afternoon, both teams started looking for a goal, but it was Brass who was in action 1st when in the 2nd minute he had to catch the ball from a free kick. Hopper then got into the Lincoln box, but their keeper caught his effort. A Stan ball was cleared on the edge of the Lincoln box in the 7th minute and 2 minutes later a shot from Stephenson, who had looked dangerous from kick off, was blocked. 

In the 11th minute Pearson beat the off- side trap but his shot from the edge of the box was saved. Both teams then had a corner and on 17 minutes a Lincoln player beat the Stan defence, but Brass came out to tackle him and clear the ball. The referee awarded a free kick, which was blocked, and booked Brass as he was not the last man. 

Both teams continued to try and attack and there was some good defending by the Stan. In 29 minutes, Lincoln shot just wide across the Stan goal. A minute later and Pearson got forward to meet a ball from Stephenson, but the Lincoln keeper got to it 1st . In 33 minutes, Brass had to punch clear and 3 minutes later the Lincoln keeper had to catch from a Stan effort. 

In the 40th minute, Hopper was flattened just outside the Lincoln box and from the resulting free kick Stephenson sent the ball over the wall and just offer the bar. It was a good effort but meant that the half ended 0-0.

There was a slower start to the 2nd half, but the Stan had some sustained pressure in the 48th minute. In 56 minutes, Stephenson had the ball in the Lincoln net, but the flag was up for offside. After Errington replaced

Adamson in the 57th minute, the Stan started to wake up and in the 60th minute a Stephenson corner was cleared and the rebound effort from the edge of the box was blasted wide by Slaughter. There was a period of Stan pressure but Lincoln were trying to attack when they could. 

In 70 minutes, after a Stan counterattack that came to nothing, a Lincoln attack was put out under pressure. From the resulting corner Brass caught a headed effort from Lincoln. In 79 minutes, a Stan attack was headed clear followed by Lincoln having to clear again in the 6-yard box. In 81 minutes, Errington advanced with the ball into the Lincoln box and although his shot looked like it was going into the net the keeper managed to save it. Brass then made an easy save at the other end followed by a Lincoln player heading another effort wide. 

A Lincoln ball in the 85th minute across the Stan box was missed by everyone. Soon after, a Lincoln counterattack was stopped by a good tackle by man of the match Ben Milburn. In 88 minutes, sub Storey’s ball into the Lincoln box although not held by the keeper was cleared by a defender. 

The Stan had to clear 2 Lincoln attacks. From the 2nd in the 90th minute, Brass sent a long counterattacking ball to Pearson who, 1 on 1 with the advancing Lincoln keeper, confidently slotted the ball past him and it rolled into the net for 1-0 to the Stan. 

Into added time, and a Lincoln attack was cleared followed by their keeper just getting to the ball before a Stan player. Lincoln then had another advance cleared before a Milburn shot was blocked for a corner although the match finished soon after in the 7th minute of added time.

So, the hard work paid off for the Stan and they have started their league campaign with a win for the 1st time since 11 August 2012 in their last season in the Northern Alliance Premier Division. Next up is a visit on Wednesday to another promoted club in the form of Redcar Athletic. Next Saturday the Stan then host Marske United in the FA Cup.

Heaton Stannington: Brass, Evans, Beattie, Milburn, Capewell, Shepherd, Hopper (Storey 84), Slaughter, Adamson, (Errington 57), Stephenson (Burn 72), Pearson.

Subs Not Used: Payne, Groves.

Goals: Pearson 90.

Supporters Man Of The Match: Milburn.

Yellow Cards: Brass, Burn.

Red Cards: None.

Referee: Joel Tilmouth.

Attendance: 339.

Match Photos: Flickr.

Kevin Mochrie