Season: 2025-26
Whitley Bay v Heaton Stannington
The dream of the FA Cup & the road to Wembley started at Hillheads, the ground of Northern League Division 1 Whitley Bay & was watched by a bumper crowd of 786. The Seahorses had already played 2 league games while this was the Stan’s 1st competitive match of the season & it showed to an extent. The last one was the Senior Cup final & there 3 were changes with Flynn, Beattie &, making his competitive debut, Dale Pearson replacing Brass, Slaughter & Lamb. Although the Stan took an early lead, they then had to work hard to keep ahead but a professional performance, including some great goalkeeping by man of the match Tom Flynn, saw them hold on to clinch victory.
On a sunny & warm day at the seaside, the Stan started on the attack with Whitley Bay having to clear a ball into their box. After Burn had forced a save in the 5th minute, the Stan took the lead in the 9th minute when Pearson broke & advanced with the ball to be 1 on 1 with the keeper who he confidently flicked the ball over & into the net. Whitley Bay then won 2 corners & from the 2nd they headed just wide. Flynn got down to easily save in the 14th minute & he had to save again 2 minutes later. The ball was then up the other end for the 1st of 2 Stan corners. The ball from the 2nd corner was headed clear just as Capewell was about to head towards the net. In the 19th minute, a ball from a Whitley Bay corner hit the far post & when the ball was sent back into the box, Flynn had to make a great full stretch save. Both teams were battling & attacking when they could but there were no efforts again that the defences struggled with until Flynn had to get down to easily save in the 37th minute. In the 2nd minute of added time, Flynn had to make a great save to stop a shot from the edge of the Stan box. A minute later & Flynn got up to again save.
Although Whitley Bay had finished the 1st half strongly, it was the Stan who started the 2nd half on the attack followed by a Whitley Bay counter attack. Walker had to be replaced in the 48th minute due to injury & this saw a competitive debut for Max Storey. A minute later & Flynn was under pressure, but the ball went out for a corner & he had to make a save under pressure in the 54th minute. The 1st 20 minutes of the 2nd half saw mainly pressure from Whitley Bay. The Stan finally threatened again in the 65th minute when a Stephenson free kick into the box was cleared & a Stan shot was then blocked. 3 minutes later & Stephenson shot wide. Bay then advanced & the ball hit off Flynn & went along the Stan goal line & was blocked by a defender thus preventing a Bay shot. The home side then had a throw in which resulted with the ball being headed off the Stan goal line with the Stan therefore having 2 lucky escapes in a row. It was still mainly the Stan who were under pressure & in the 72nd minute a home player broke into the Stan box, but Flynn made himself big to block the ball. Soon after a Whitley Bay player advanced again & Flynn grabbed the ball from in front of his feet. In 76 minutes, a Storey shot was deflected for a Stan corner & the start of some Stan pressure which eventually finished with a Capewell shot going wide at the far post. In 79 minutes, a Whitley Bay long range effort went just over the bar. Pearson then sent a ball into the home box, but Storey couldn’t make contact although the ball went back in forcing the keeper to punch it over the bar. The resulting corner was cleared followed by a Stan free kick from just outside the box being blocked. There was then a period of sustained Stan pressure for about 7 minutes including 4 corners & a Burn free kick being headed clear although Whitley Bay still proved a threat on the counter. The match entered injury time with both teams attacking & Whitley Bay knowing that an equaliser would force a replay. In the 92nd minute, a Bay throw in was deflected over the Stan bar for a goal kick. There was more pressure from the home team as Flynn had to clear then save. In the 94th minute a ball from a Stan attack went across the home goal but no one could make contact. There were more attacks by both teams, but the match eventually ended with the Stan coming out on top & progressing to the preliminary round.
The Stan managed to survive Whitley Bay’s efforts & achieve their 12th win in the FA Cup in their 33rd season competing in it. They now host Marske United on 16 August. Avoiding a replay means that the Stan’s next match is next Saturday when their 1st league match of the season sees them host Lincoln United.
Kevin Mochrie
0 vs 1 
Heaton Stannington v Workington
The Stan’s last pre-season match saw them host non-league 3rd tier opposition in the form of ex-league club Workington from the Northern Premier league. It was a competitive match that ended with the visitor’s sneaking a late winning goal when a draw would have been more deserving.
The 1st meeting between the 2 teams saw Workington 1st to threaten when Brass had to get down in the 2nd minute to save a shot taken in a busy Stan box. A minute later & the visitors shot well over the Stan bar. After 6 minutes, Capewell headed clear from a Workington corner. The Stan then got their 1st opportunity to score when Robson shot just wide from the edge of the busy Workington box. The visitors were ahead in the 14th minute when a speculative shot from the edge of the box by a trialist beat Brass & went into the net. After a quieter 5 minutes, there was more Workington pressure in the 19th minute & 2 minutes later Shepherd had to clear. The ball was cleared again for a Workington corner which also saw the ball cleared. Workington had most of the early possession but from 25 minutes the Stan started to get back into the game when Slaughter blasted the ball well over the bar. In 27 minutes, the Stan were back on level terms when, from a free kick, Hopper blasted the ball into the Workington net for 1-1. Brass had to catch the ball 2 minutes later, but the Stan continued to get back into the match. In 37 minutes, a swerving ball from Hopper on the right went just left of the Workington post. In 43 minutes, the Stan had to make 2 clearances but the half ended 1-1.
Both teams started the 2nd half positively but were cancelling each other out. A joined-up attack by the Stan in the 51st minute saw the Workington keeper just get to the last ball of the move 1st. In the 60th minute, Pearson advanced into the visitor’s box, beat a player but the ball was then blocked. A Workington counterattack was then stopped by Beattie. A Stephenson shot then went across the goal & out of play. In 64 minutes, Pearson battled to win the ball & advanced with it but the keeper got to it before he could shoot. It was end to end now & soon after Milburn supplied Storey who crossed to the advancing Hopper, but he sliced his effort over the bar when he had the opportunity to score. Workington had a shot go over in the 68th minute & did the same 2 minutes later with a ball from a corner. Both teams were still trying to attack & in 73 minutes Workington shot high & wide. In 79 minutes, a sub Carr corner was cleared & although the ball went back in it was headed clear followed by a Workington counterattack which was cleared. Both teams were working hard although it was the visitors who took the lead in 87 minutes when a ball into the box to Galloway saw his shot deflected off a Stan player & into the net for 1-2. There were 2 minutes of added time but not enough for the Stan to wipe out the late Workington goal.
So, after 4 out of 4 wins the Stan’s last pre-season match saw them lose narrowly to higher league opposition. The real action starts next Saturday when the Stan travel to the coast to take on old rivals Whitley Bay in the FA Cup extra preliminary round & hopefully take a 1st step towards a trip to Wembley.
Stan Team: Brass; Groves (Burns 46); Shepherd (Marriott 66); Robson; Capewell; Milburn (Beattie 46); Hopper; Slaughter (Payne 66); Pearson (Carr 74); Stephenson (Livermore 66); Storey (Errington 74). No cards. Attendance 255.
Kevin Mochrie
Photo Gallery 1
Photo Gallery 2
1 vs 2 
Seaham Red Star v Heaton Stannington
There was a Wear-Tyne derby as the Stan’s 4th pre-season match saw them travel to Seaham to take on old rivals Red Star who are now in Northern League Division 2. In the end the Stan deservedly won although Red Star put up a good fight which resulted in the match resembling a competitive fixture rather than a pre-season friendly. There were no new starts & only 3 subs although there were plenty of stripes as red and white took on black & white. Goal keeping coach Tom Flynn featured in goal for the 3rd time this pre-season & Kailem Beattie was up against his brother Kieran.
To begin with both teams were cancelling each other out. In 18 minutes, a Red Star player shot just wide under pressure. In 22 minutes, Beattie supplied Stephenson whose shot was deflected out to the right & a ball back in from Beattie was deflected out for a corner. In 27 minutes, Pearson supplied Errington, but he shot straight at the keeper under pressure. The match was getting more competitive & physical although neither team could break the deadlock. A Stephenson corner was cleared in 30 minutes & 3 minutes later a Stan free kick resulted in a Capewell header being cleared. In 34 minutes, the Stan were ahead when Beattie battled for the ball in the middle of the park & it deflected to the feet of Stephenson who slotted the ball past the home keeper under pressure. In 39 minutes a Capewell shot was deflected out for a corner & 2 minutes later a speculative long range Seaham effort hit the post. The Stan kept the pressure on for the remaining few minutes of the 1st half, but their lead remained a slender one goal at half time.
The start of the 2nd half saw lots of action but no end product. In 53 minutes, a Seaham free kick was deflected off the wall, but Flynn got down to save. A minute later & another Seaham shot was deflected wide for a corner. Red Star were more of a threat this half although it was the Stan who came close in 58 minutes when a Stephenson shot was deflected just wide. In 60 minutes, Robson forced a corner. Stephenson took it in the 61st minute & the ball went across the Seaham goal to Robson who headed it downwards & it bounced up & into the net for 2-0 to the Stan. The Stan kept the pressure on & in 64 minutes a Stephenson free kick was punched clear by the home keeper. In 69 minutes, a Seaham ball into the Stan box was blocked by Capewell for a corner. Seaham kept the pressure on & soon after they were awarded a free kick from which the ball hit off the underside of the bar before going out of play. In 77 minutes, there was a great save by Flynn & a minute later Red Star shot wide. In 82 minutes, the increasing Red Star pressure paid off when a counterattack ended with a player passing across goal to another unmarked player who slotted the ball into the net for 1-2. In 86 minutes though the Stan restored their 2-goal lead when the ball hit Burn on the chest & landed by Robson who blasted it into the home net from the edge of the box. In 88 minutes, a Burn free kick just outside the home box saw the keeper get up to put the ball over the bar. The match ended with more Stan pressure as they ran out 3-1 winners.
So, it is 4 out of 4 pre-season wins for the Stan partly due to Joe Robson’s 1st 2 goals for the club. The final warm up before FA Cup action is next Saturday when the Stan host Workington at 2pm.
Kevin Mochrie
1 vs 3 
Whickham v Heaton Stannington
The Stan made it 3 wins out of 3 in pre-season matches as they crossed the Tyne & made the ascent to take on Northern League Division 1 Whickham. Although the Stan started in control & took a 2-0 early lead, Whickham got more competitive as the half went on & made the Stan work for their 2-1 win. The fast paced 1st half was in contrast to the slower paced & less memorable 2nd half but a hard working Stan deserved their win. There were no debuts tonight, but 6 subs manged to get some 2nd half minutes under their belts & Kane Evans unusually started in midfield.
In the 3rd minute, there was an early great move by the Stan when Pearson crossed to the advancing Stephenson but the Whickham keeper got down to save his shot when it looked like it was going into the net. Both teams were trying to get forward, but it was the Stan who scored after 9 minutes when Pearson again supplied the advancing Stephenson who this time saw his shot go into the back of the net. Errington shot just wide in 13 minutes & a minute later the Stan were 2-0 up. A Stephenson corner saw Burn’s effort hit the post, but the ball came back out high to Errington who headed it into the net. In the 15th minute a Stephenson free kick got through the wall but the Whickham keeper got down to save. In 22 minutes, Errington supplied Beattie who saw his effort deflected over the bar for a corner. 2 minutes later & Brass had to make a double block. The now fast pace saw both teams trying to attack & in 32 minutes Beattie supplied Pearson but his shot from close range was deflected for a corner from which Capewell headed wide. In 36 minutes, a Whickham attack was not cleared in the busy Stan box & was forced into the net from the 6 yard box by a Whickham trialist. The home side were now getting back into the match, but the last move of the 1st half saw the Stan with a chance to increase their lead. Stephenson was brought down just outside the box & his resulting free kick was headed over the bar by Shepherd.
Maybe because it was an unusually warm evening, but the 2nd half started slowly & continued so for most of the time. In 55 minutes a Groves ball into the Whickham box was headed clear & 3 minutes later Errinington supplied Pearson who shot just wide. There were 6 Stan substitutions after 76 minutes but there continued to be limited action. In 81 minutes, a sub-Carr free kick into the Whickham box was blocked but landed with sub Storey who shot just wide. Whickham didn’t give up, but the match ended with a 2-1 win for the Stan.
So, it was a game of 2 halves but overall the Stan put in a good shift & their win was enjoyed by the Stan Army. Next up on Friday night is another pre-season trip over the Tyne but this time to Seaham Red Star.
Kevin Mochrie
Photo Gallery
1 vs 2