Report

Although the match took place at Grounsell Park, the Stan Army were thinking of Wembley and FA Vase glory as the team took on Yorkshire based Ilkley Town from the North West Counties league division 1. It took a stylish 2nd half performance, after a 1st half Ilkley equaliser, for the Stan to tie up the match comfortably with a 4 goal cushion including a Hopper hat trick. Stan fielded an unchanged team from the one that had won 5-0 against Seaham 8 days previously.

The Stan showed they meant business from the kick off & Reid had a shot blocked after 2 minutes. 2 minutes later & Hopper also had a shot blocked. The ball from the resulting corner was headed clear but it went back in & Hopper headed just over via the crossbar.  Hopper & Lamb then had shots blocked as the Stan piled on the pressure. Reid then put the ball in the net but offside was given. 

Ilkley then had a corner but as expected, it was the Stan who took the lead in 12 minutes. The Ilkley keeper blocked Lamb, but he put the ball back to Anderson who put it in the net. Ilkley started to get into the game although it was the Stan who hit the bar from a Stephenson free kick in 18 minutes. 

Ilkley were back on level terms after 20 minutes when a good counter attacking move saw an advancing Ilkley player receive the ball in the box & he sent the ball towards the right of Brass & it squeezed into the net. 2 minutes later Hopper hit the post but much of the rest of the 1st half was more balanced & played at a slower pace. 

In 36 minutes, Hopper beat a player & sent the ball into the box but it was missed by Lamb who then recovered the ball but put it over. Ilkley shot wide but the Stan were getting more of the ball again. Even so, Evans & Turnbull had to make good defensive tackles. 

In 39 minutes, a Stan corner was cleared & then Reid’s header was blocked. Soon after Lamb hit the bar & Reid shot just wide. In 45 minutes, Anderson was brought down in the box & the Stan were able to finish the half in the lead when, a minute later, Hopper comfortably scored with his penalty kick.

3 minutes into the 2nd half, Hopper shot just wide followed by Ilkley having a ball from a corner cleared. The Stan though increased their lead in 50 minutes from a joined-up attack involving Stephenson supplying Lamb who passed to Reid who then gave the ball to Hopper allowing him to slot the ball past the keeper. 

3 minutes later an Ilkley ball went across the goal missing everyone followed by Lamb shooting over at the other end. In 56 minutes, Hopper made a great run into the box, beating 3 players in the process, & sent a cross to Lamb who put the ball over the bar from close range. The Stan shot over again a minute later but this was then followed by a quieter period. 

With 20 minutes to go, both teams were trying to attack but there was then another quieter period until in 79 minutes the Stan went 4-1 up. Stephenson crossed into the box & Lamb headed the ball into the net. 

In 82 minutes, there was a speculative high shot by Ilkley but Brass caught it. A Stan attack was cleared then Reid had a shot easily caught. In 87 minutes the Stan made it 5-1 when Lamb advancing on the right sent the ball back to Hopper on the edge of the box who comfortably curled it into the net. The hat trick was a good ending to a great performance throughout the match by Hopper. 

In 93 minutes, Lamb & Hopper combined to try & allow each other to score but their multiple efforts in front of goal were frustrated by the defence & eventually it was left to Sayer to blast the ball over the ball. In the last of 5 minutes of added time, an Ilkley player was sin binned then Reid’s long range shot went just over.

For the 2nd game in a row, the Stan scored 5 goals to record another comfortable win. Ilkley had never played in the 2nd qualifying round before, and it was the Stan who proceeded to the 1st round proper for the 2nd time in 3 seasons. The Stan again take on Yorkshire opponents on Wednesday night when they travel to Northallerton on league action.

Kevin Mochrie

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