Report

Although Brighouse is famous for its brass band, it was the Stan’s Lewis Brass & his outfield band of players who were top of the pops with a comfortable 2-0 win in front of a crowd of 422. There were 4 changes from Tuesday’s Senior Cup win over Whitley Bay with Brass, Shepherd, Slaughter & Stephenson replacing De Jesus, Marriott, Sayer & Burn.

In the High Heaton sunshine, both teams tried to attack from the start, but the 1^st clear effort came from the Stan after 7 minutes when Evans cut into the box & supplied Lamb who put the ball over the bar. Lamb then advanced again but was blocked by 2 defenders. This was followed by Brighouse’s 1^st venture near the Stan box but their cross was blocked although 2 minutes later they did get the ball into the Stan box but it was easily cleared. There was a sustained Stan attack in 17 minutes which ended with Evans putting the ball into the 6 yard box & although it was blocked, Lamb at the back post managed to send the ball back out to Beattie who blasted it into the net. 2 minutes later, Anderson supplied Lamb who was brought down just inside the Brighouse box. The resulting penalty in the 20^th minute was comfortably put away by Anderson for 2-0. Brighouse did try to attack after this but their efforts were easily dealt with by the Stan. They did get a corner in 24 minutes which Turnbull cleared. Brass then had trouble with his knee but was able to continue. After a quieter period, a speculative long-range effort by Richardson went over the bar. Both teams were trying to attack but with no real end product. A Brighouse long range shot after 35 minutes went high & wide. The Stan were battling well & in 39 minutes Lamb got past the visiting keeper & was brought down but he was offside. Lamb & Stephenson then attacked again but a foul was given for Brighouse. The visitors then had an attack blocked then cleared. They then sent a free kick into the box which was blocked by Richardson then cleared. Brighouse’s late rally continued with a shot deflected for a corner which came to nothing. The Stan though ended the half comfortably leading by 2 goals.

The Stan started the 2^nd half positively but little happened until Brighouse got a corner in 52 minutes. The ball from it was cleared & Brighouse then got a free kick just outside the box which was blocked. The Stan tried to attack but remained relatively quiet until, in 58 minutes, Anderson was brought down as he was about to advance. Brighouse’s Acquah was booked as a result &, because he had already been booked a minute earlier, he was then sent off. The resulting free kick from Lamb went round the Brighouse wall forcing a full length save from their keeper Cooper. A minute later & a Stephenson corner was initially cleared to Slaughter who sent the ball back in. Cooper got down to try & catch it but only managed to do so after competition from a scramble of foots involving 3 or 4 Stan players who were trying to direct the ball into the net. The Stan kept the pressure on their 10 man opponents. In 71 minutes, form a Lamb corner, Turnbull put the ball over the bar. It was mainly all Stan pressure now including sub Walker having an effort cleared in 81 minutes followed by Lamb shooting over the bar. Lamb had a shot caught by the keeper in 84 minutes before he was substituted. In 86 minutes, a Brighouse free kick into the Stan box was cleared followed by a rebound shot being caught by Brass. There was then a sustained Stan attack which ended with the ball going across the 6 yard box but missing everyone. After 4 minutes of added time the match ended with the Stan still in control & winning 2-0.

So, the Stan march up to mid-table (13^th) after a solid & hard-working performance. A win always looked assured after the 1^st goal went in on 17 minutes. On Wednesday night they have another home league match when they host Garforth Town.

Kevin Mochrie

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