Just five days after picking up a first win since early November, Heaton Stan made it back-to-back league wins for the first time all season by thrashing Bradford (Park Avenue) at Grounsell Park.

In the reverse game at Horsfall Stadium back in September, the Stan were 2-0 down inside six minutes after a mistake-laden start, but there was to be nothing of the sort tonight as they flew out of the traps and should’ve had a penalty less than two minutes into the game. A free kick inside the Stan half was driven towards the box and eventually flicked into the path of Connor Walker who ran onto the ball, tried to go around away goalkeeper Cameron Mason and was pulled down in the process – nothing doing according to the referee.

Mason would give away a penalty 14 minutes later. The move started with another long free kick which caused chaos in the box, eventually falling to Walker on the edge of the area, who fed Hopper to the right of the goalkeeper. The ball was lofted into the centre and in trying to claim the ball but dropping it, Mason clattered Jay Errington. Hopper stepped up and calmly slotted away his ninth goal of the season to open the scoring.

The chances to put breathing space between the sides kept coming. Just a minute after the restart, Hopper was able to shoot on the turn after a lovely touch but couldn’t generate enough power. There was a goalmouth scramble three minutes later, another Hopper chance lacking power shortly after that, and then another scramble from a corner on 33 minutes.

Typically, completely against the run of play, Bradford had an equaliser before half time. A throw into the box bounced uo to the arm of Capewell, the referee gave a penalty which was dispatched into Brass’ bottom left corner – the goalkeeper guessing correctly but just fingertips away from it.

The resumption of the game after the interval was delayed after a new assistant referee was required – but the Stan didn’t let the interruption ruin their flow as they started the second half just as they did the first – on the front foot and looking to punish a Bradford side clearly not at the races.

Dan Groves, Leighton Hopper and Jay Errington all had good chances before Connor Walker restored the Stan’s lead on 59 minutes. After a good spell of controlling the possession, Jay Errington received the ball wide on the edge of the box, used his strength to beat two defenders off him, drilled a low ball into the centre for Walker to cleverly prod the ball into the bottom corner for his first goal since September and just his second for the Stan overall.

Attempts to kill the game off were still flowing nicely but nothing was going in. Alex Payne had a good effort from the edge of the area which looked as though it was heading in but it skimmed wide. On 72 minutes, Jay Errington forced a big save from Mason who had a very busy night in the Bradford goal.

Some breathing space finally came on 83 minutes. The Stan played an overload on a Bradford throw and had a lot of attacking players high up the pitch. Winning the second ball, it was Errington who fed Walker in the area who raced towards Mason and cheekily lifted the ball past him for his second goal of the night, capping a man of the match performance.

The game was well and truly sewn up four minutes later, and just one minute after the introduction of Konner Lamb from the bench. Some careless play in midfield from the away side allowed the Stan to break with pace, Lamb given the ball inside his own half with acres of space to run into, reaching the box, pulling off a trademark Lamb chop onto his left foot and bending into the far post to score.

Supporters will start to feel that Northern Premier League East Division survival is possible after taking six points and playing fantastic football against two of the division’s top sides. Attention now turns to an away game at Sherwood Colliery, another newly promoted side fighting for their life, as we look to take three points on the road for the first time since August.

Liam Milburn

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The Stan’s three month wait for a win came to an end at home to promotion-chasers Dunston in the second of three back-to-back games at Grounsell Park, following a disappointing defeat to Pontefract Collieries just three nights prior.

Having been a substitute for the last three games, Leighton Hopper was recalled to the starting eleven and showed why he deserved his spot in the side, being an integral part of the attack from the off. Just as they did on Tuesday, the Stan started on the front foot. On 3 minutes, Hopper cut in from the left, fired an effort which was destined for the goal, but blocked en route by his teammate Jay Errington.

Unlike the Pontefract game, the Stan didn’t then concede and instead continued piling on the pressure, not giving Dunston a moment to breathe. Hopper was a huge part of every good opportunity in the early stages, forcing two saves from goalkeeper Dan Lowson and almost turning provider at the end of one of his trademark mazy runs but his pass was intercepted before it could result in a chance.

Andy Burn also had opportunities to score in the first half, with one wide, one over the bar and one straight at the goalkeeper. He was a key part of a midfield and forward line who pressed the opposition at every opportunity and dictated the high tempo of the game.

Dunston failed to register a meaningful effort on goal in the first half, but came out stronger in the second half and did lightly test Stan goalkeeper Lewis Brass in the early stages as JJ O’Donnell flicked towards goal from a corner. The North East non-league stalwart would have another effort midway through the half from a header, managing to generate a decent amount of power despite being around 15 yards from goal.

Manager Dean Nicholson bemoaned the failure to put away big chances on Tuesday night, just as he has on many occasions this season, and it looked like history would be repeating itself with some of the big opportunities not taken against Dunston. On 58 minutes, Dan Groves flicked on a throw into the path of Jay Errington, who confidently controlled the ball and dashed towards the box. With three defenders tight on him, he opted to shift wider to his left, unleashing a shot across goal which was unlucky to miss the far bottom corner.

As the minutes ticked away, it was looking more and more likely that the game was going to end goalless, but not for a lack of effort, and mostly because just as against Pontefract, the ball just seemed unable to cross the goal line. On 76 minutes, a low ball was sent into the box but cleared by a Dunston defender. The ball came out to Errington on the edge of the six yard box who steadied himself and then fired at goal, saved by Lowson. The ball bounced perfectly towards the head of substitute Bailey Adamson, but his nod at the near post went for a corner.

Three minutes later, another chance inexplicably went begging. Connor Walker made a run to the wide area and breezed past two marking defenders with some beautiful footwork, finding space to charge into the box where he shrugged past another man. Walker fired low from 12 yards out, Lowson saved and again the ball sat up perfectly on the rebound, this time it was Errington who was unable to convert from a close range header.

The game’s decisive moment arrived on 89 minutes. Dunston will agonise over the fact that they missed their best chance of the game just 30 seconds before our goal arrived. Tom Devitt nodded against the post from a well-delivered free-kick and the Stan were able to get the ball away. From that corner, Brass punched it away, the defence cleared their lines and set the Stan away on a rapid counter-attack. A brilliant pass from Alex Payne found Errington in space just in front of the centre circle, he carried the ball into the box with two big touches, used his physicality to hold off the defenders crowding him, took his time before flicking a shot under the goalkeeper. Cue pandemonium in the stands, on the touchline and on the pitch as all eleven players, including goalkeeper Brass, piled on top of each other by the corner flag.

“We are staying up” was the cry from the Stan supporters on the terrace – and moments later the whistle would blow, confirming an enormous three points which keeps alive hopes that the club will survive in its first season at Step 4. Attention quickly turns to another midweek home game on Wednesday, where Bradford (Park Avenue) are the visitors at Grounsell Park.

Liam Milburn

There was no icing on the Pontefract cake for the Stan due to an early & a relatively late goal for the West Yorkshire visitors. This relegation 6 pointer therefore ended pointless for the Stan even though they created lots of chances to score. There was one change from Saturday’s draw at Garforth with Burn replacing the injured Stephenson. Joe Shepherd made his 101 appearance for the club.

It was a great start for the Stan as they won the ball from the Pontefract kick off & started immediately on the attack through Errington who saw his effort blocked on the Pontefract goal line with Burn’s rebound effort hitting the side netting. The Stan attacked again & Burn had his shot saved. The visitors immediately attacked for the 1^st time & although their initial effort was blocked, Dunn chipped the ball from the edge of the box & into the net to give Pontefract a shock lead. Pontefract had an effort headed clear 2 minutes later. Errington then broke with his 1^st effort blocked followed by his 2^nd effort from the edge of the box being cleared on the line. A Stan free kick was then head clear & the resulting Pontefract counterattack was off side. After an injured Pontefract player was treated, it was back on the attack for the Stan. After a quieter few minutes, 2 Pontefract attacks were cleared in the 13^th minute followed by a home attack being cleared. Pontefract had a long throw into the Stan box which was cleared & the long range rebound shot went well wide. The visitors shot wide again in 19 minutes. The Stan then had a ball from a corner blocked followed by a shot going over the bar. In 23 minutes, a Pontefract attack was cleared & again 2 minutes later. A Groves corner was then punched clear by the Pontefract keeper. Groves then sent a ball into the Pontefract box which was headed out for a corner from which Adamson’s shot was blocked. The Stan pressure continued but Pontefract continued to defend well & in 32 minutes Marriott shot wide. From the 34^th minute, there were 3 minutes of end to end action but with both defences clearing well. In 37 minutes, Brass caught a Pontefract effort then sent a long ball to Errington but the keeper easily caught his shot. In the 39^th minute, the Stan had a sustained attack which included 2 Stan efforts being blocked followed by an effort being cleared on the goal line by a Pontefract defender when the Stan thought they had scored. It was end to end again as the 1^st half came to a close,

Both teams continued trying to attack after the start of the 2^nd half & each had initial efforts cleared. The Stan added to their attacking threat by introducing Hopper in 52 minutes & Walker & Lamb 13 minutes later. In 56 minutes, a Stan free kick into the Pontefract box saw an unmarked Shepherd break forward & collect the ball but his effort was saved by the keeper. Soon after Brass made a great save at the other end. It was end to end again but again both defences dealt well with the attacks. In 69 minutes, Walker shot well over & for the remaining 20 minutes there was mainly joined up pressure from Heaton Stannington. In 70 minutes, Pontefract had to clear 7 times as part of the sustained Stan pressure. In 76 minutes though, against the run of play, Pontefract broke & although their initial shot was blocked by Brass, the 4-yard rebound effort was tapped into the net by Elliot Walker. It was then back to Stan pressure & Pontefract defending including through 2 headed clearances. In 84 minutes, A Groves free kick was initially cleared followed by a ball from Lamb going across the Pontefract goal line before being cleared then back to Payne whose effort, from just outside the box, bobbled just wide. In 89 minutes, Walker shot just wide. Capewell then had to make a good clearance from a rare Pontefract attack. The 6 added minutes again saw 1 way traffic as the Stan continued to try & get the ball into the visitors’ net, but Pontefract managed under pressure to deny them.

There were highs & lows during the match. The highs included the Stan continually trying to attack when they had the ball & creating lots of chances as well as defending well when required. The lows were not converting any of the many chances created & conceding 2 goals which were both when scored against the run of play. The Stan are in action again in 3 days when they host Dunston in a Friday night local derby.

Kevin Mochrie

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