Report

It was an important night for North Shields as they played their 1^st match since 11 November & their 1^st home one since 18 October & in doing so overcame not just the weather but also financial issues which saw the loss of their former manager & his entire playing squad. It was the Stan though who collected 3 points after a 4-0 win. There were 5 changes from Friday’s win at Seaham with Corkhill, Reid, Scott, Lamb & Lashley being replaced by Brass, Hornsby, Marriott, Stephenson & Anderson. Former Stan player Dean Holmes started for North Shields.

The Stan attack from the kick off & although Hopper won a corner, a goal kick was awarded. It was only 2 more minutes though until the Stan scored in a joined-up move involving Slaughter crossing to Hornsby who sent the ball back to the advancing Slaughter who supplied Sayer who crossed the ball into the box &, after Hopper had been blocked twice, Carr put the ball in the net. It was still mainly Stan & the home side did not get a clear attack until the 7^th minute. In 8 minutes the Stan were 2-0 up when a great run by Hopper, after being supplied by Stephenson, saw him get past 2 defenders on the edge of the box then scored past the keeper from a tight angle for his 50^th competitive Stan goal. There was then a great ball in by Hornsby but it was cleared &3 minutes later a Stepehson free kick was cleared. Anderson then had a shot deflected for a corner from which a Stan shot was blocked ion the goal line for another corner. From it, Sayer eventually shot well over. It was one way traffic as the Stan kept attacking & the expected 3^rd goal came in 23 minutes when Sayer supplied Stephenson who was advancing down the middle of the pitch & unmarked comfortably slotted the ball past the home keeper for his 20^th Stan goal & what a goal it was. North Shields then got out of their own half for the 1^st time in 17 minutes. The Stan continued to look good & win most loose balls. In 37 minutes, North Shields had a rare attack which was blocked. When called on though, The Stan defence worked well & it wasn’t until 39 minutes when the home side had their 1^st shot of the match which went wide. 3 minutes later they had a 2^nd effort, from a free kick, which went wide. In 45 minutes, Slaughter slid in towards the ball & the goal line but was blocked followed by Hopper also being blocked.

The Stan started the 2^nd half with an attack & a Stephenson free kick was cleared in the home box. North Shields though, unlike in the 1^st half, quickly got into the game & started to prove more of a challenge to their opponents. As a result, the 1^st 8 minutes saw mainly home pressure before a more even period of play. In 62 minutes, Slaughter senta long diagonal ball to Anderson in the home box but he was blocked & soon after he received the ball in front of goal but a poor connection allowed the home keeper to easily save his effort. 2 minutes later & Brass easily saved. North Shields then had another 2 shots cleared in front of the Stan goal. In 69 minutes though, & against the overall 2^nd half so far run of play, the Stan were 4-0 up when Hornsby sent a diagonal ball into the box which Anderson headed down allowing Sayer to shoot into the home net. Despite the scoreline, both teams continued to try to attack & the rest of the 2^nd half saw the Stan stepping up a gear again. In 76 minutes, sub Burn shot over. A long ball to sub Greenwood in the box some him turn a dfender but the keeper blocked his shot & also his rebound shot. A Stan long range effort in 83 minutes was deflected over the bar by the home keeper for a corner. A rare attack by North Shields in 90 minutes resulted ina  corner from which the ball was easily caufght by Brass. The match ended with the Stan attacking again.

Although the 2^nd half was a more even affair than the 1st, the Stan had a comfortable win in front of the Daren Persson Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season (537). They adapted their tactics well to take account of the bumpy pitch & as a result continue to march up the table having won their last 3 games & with games in hand. The Stan, & a coach load of the Stan Army, travel on Saturday to Cumbria to take on Carlisle City.

Kevin Mochrie

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