Report

After exactly 70 years, the Stan met Penrith again in the Northern League this time in their second match since being promoted. As with the 1st one against West Auckland, they had to play most of the match with 10 men but this time they were not able to earn at least a point.

The long journey from the North West did not seem to impact on the visitors as they attacked the Stan from the start shooting just wide after 2 minutes. 2 minutes later & they were 1-0 up from a free kick when the ball went into the net off Armstrong. Penrith shot well over in 5 minutes then a minute later, a mistake by the Stan allowed Penrith to break & last man Watson was sent off for his tackle to stop the move which surprised most of the home support. From the resulting free kick, Penrith hit the side netting. 

The Stan did not give up but Penrith were 2-0 in 21 minutes, again through Armstrong when he scored from a pass into him in the penalty box. The 1st of 5 Stan substitutions then took place with Taylor replace Hornsby. 3 minutes later & Penrith shot well over from a free kick. The visitors kept the pressure on, although with no real threat now, until 39 minutes when a great effort by Slaughter, & the Stan’s 1st clear attack of the match, was palmed over the bar by Penrith’s keeper Taylor. 

In 41 minutes, Hopper cleared a Penrith free kick off the line. Anderson then broke, from a Cowburn pass, and beat the last 2 Penrith defenders but Taylor got down to make a great save for a corner. Despite some late positive Stan action, the match was over in 44 minutes when, after the referee had got in the way resulting in the Stan losing the ball, the visitors attacked & the ball was crossed into the Stan box & forced into the net by Richardson for 0-3.

Penrith started the 2nd half on the attack and in 47 minutes they headed over under pressure from a free kick. The Stan then had 2 attacks including Cowburn’s overhead effort being caught by the keeper. The Stan were beginning to put some pressure on despite the numerical advantage of the visitors although Penrith still remained potentially dangerous especially through their number 7. 

The Stan had a number of attacks that came to nothing & Evans had to clear a Penrith effort off the line in 64 minutes. Both teams continued to attack but with Penrith looking more dangerous and Bamborough had to clear off the Stan line in 72 minutes. The final phase of the match saw Penrith having much of the ball & they stopped 10 man Stan from playing. Although he was working hard, Hopper could not get any results working up front mainly on his own. A Penrith long range effort in 82 minutes hit the post & the rebound shot was sent over the bar. The Stan then had to clear again & 3 minutes later the visitors shot just over.

After the early sending off, Penrith used their division 1 experience, composure and extra man to ensure there was no way back for the Stan even though the home side did have a better 2nd half. The Stan can now focus on the road to Wembley on Saturday as they host Pickering Town in the FA Cup.

Kevin Mochrie