Report

The Stan’s 1st game for 22 days & their 1st of 2026 saw them get the January (Dunston) blues. The home team took an early lead & although they did not deserve it, they were sharper than the Stan & took a 3-goal lead before the Stan got back into the game late on including through a great Hopper goal. There were 2 changes from the boxing day draw at Consett with Evans & Payne replacing Chrisp, who was ineligible to play against his parent club, & Stephenson who has left the Stan. The Stan Army were in Gateshead on mass supporting their team including football legends Bill Colwill & Peter Bearsdley. 

Both 4th placed Dunston & 8th placed Heaton Stannington started positively. Dunston were 1st to threaten in the 3rd minute & unfortunately it resulted in a goal. A ball from a long throw in was blocked but the rebound shot from Swailles was put into the right corner of the Stan net. Dunston immediately threatened again with Gordon putting the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, Dunston headed the ball over the bar. The next 10 minutes saw 3 more Dunston attacks with the Stan not really in the game apart from a high long range Lamb effort. In 14 minutes, a Dunston cross into the Stan box was sliced over the Stan bar when it could have been in the back of the net. In the 20th minute, there was a great twisting run by Hopper who tried to pass under pressure & Lowson in the home goal eventually caught the ball. Soon after, Hopper shot again from just outside the box, but Lowson made a stretching save. In 22 minutes, a Stan attack was cleared for a corner from which the ball was cleared. In 26 minutes, Capewell had to head clear & the rebound Dunston shot was caught by Gordon. Dunston then had another shot which went across the Stan goal & out & 3 minutes later Gordon had to make a save. A minute later & he caught the ball from a free kick. Pearson then broke into the Dunston box but his attempted pass to Hopper was blocked. Dunston counter attacked & the Stan defence blocked their advance 3 times. In 37 minutes, Hopper advanced into the Dunston box but O’Donnell went down to undeservedly get Hopper booked. In 39 minutes, a Dunston free kick was headed clear. Soon after a high ball into the box was caught by Gordon. He then went to clear the ball as a Dunston player went towards him, but he missed although a defender cleared for a corner. From it, the ball was cleared off the line by Evans. Burn then sent the ball up towards the advancing Hopper but Lowson caught it. In 44 minutes, from a Stan throw in, Capewell headed the ball on towards Pearson who was pulled down in the Dunston box but nothing was given. Into added time & Pearson broke but couldn’t get his shot in under pressure. The half ended with a Stan corner, from which Hopper shot just over the bar.

The 2nd half started with Dunston pressure although in the 54th minute Pearson shot across the Dunston goal & the ball went just wide. 2 minutes later & Gordon got down to save a deflected Dunston effort. In 60 minutes, after Capewell cleared, the Stan counter attacked through Walker but the ball was cleared. A minute later & a Dunston effort from just outside the Stan box skimmed the outside of the post. Both teams were trying to attack but it was Dunston who scored again in the 69th minute when an attack down the right saw the ball passed back to Edwards just outside the Stan box who blasted the ball into the net. Both teams attacked again but again it was Dunston who scored in the 75th minute when Robinson scored with a shot from the edge of the Stan box. This 3rd Dunston goal saw the Stan step up a gear & dominate most of the remainder of the match. In 86 minutes, sub Errington advanced down the right & crossed the ball into the Dunston box for Hopper to expertly head the ball into the back of the net. The Stan were now looking more confident & were desperate for another goal & were encouraged further by 5 minutes of added time. In 87 minutes, the ball was crossed into the Dunston box, but a Stan player didn’t get up to head it. The Stan then attacked into the Dunston box again but the move finished with Errington being blocked. The ball went back in but Pearson’s shot was saved by Lowson when the ball looked like it was going into the net. In 92 minutes, a Stan free kick into the home box was blocked for a throw in. From it the ball was headed just over by Capewell in the crowded box. The game finished with more Stan pressure as Beattie’s shot was blocked by Lowson.

Although they got back into the match late on, it was too little too late as the Stan suffered only their 3rd away league defeat since 2024. With Dunston having played on Tuesday night, they were less rusty than the Stan were after their long break. They probably wont have this problem again for a while as from Tuesday, when they host Ashington, they have 5 home games in 15 days.

Stan Team: Gordon; Milburn (Johnson 63); Evans (Shepherd 75); Payne (Beattie 63 (Y)); Capewell; Robson; Hopper (Y); Burn; Pearson; Walker (Storey 75); Lamb (Errington 63). All Subs used. Attendance 383. Man of the Match: Andy Burn.                       

Kevin Mochrie

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