The Stan visited newly relegated Morpeth Town, known as the Highwaymen, for the 1st time in league action since April 1994. It would have been daylight robbery if they had come away without at least the point especially after their 2nd half performance. Undeservedly down to 10 men after 36 minutes, the Stan not just held on but had more possession & were the better & more attacking team for much of the 2nd half. There were 2 changes from Saturday’s FA Cup win over Knaresborough with Evans & Hopper replacing Milburn & Djalo.

On a blustery autumnal evening, both teams were trying to attack but nothing much happened until the 6th minute when Kanda headed clear a Morpeth cross into the Stan box. In 9 minutes, the advancing Hopper shot over the Morpeth bar. Soon after, Lister had to get down at the other end to easily collect. Pearson then sent a cross into the Morpeth 6-yard box which was blocked & Evans’ follow up shot went wide. In 12 minutes, Morpeth forced a corner from which Hornsby cleared but the Stan break came to nothing. Morpeth then came very close when Chungh twisted & turned in the Stan box before his shot was put just wide by Lister. After some Morpeth pressure, a Hornsby ball into the Morpeth box was caught by their keeper Langley. Soon after, a Morpeth diagonal shot went just wide of the Stan goal. In the 20th minute, a ball from a Gascoigne free kick was headed out for a corner. From it, the ball was headed out. Giraud then made a run down the left & into the home box & his blasted shot was stopped by Langley. Morpeth countered & the move eventually ended with Shepherd putting the ball out for a corner. There was a quieter few minutes until Lister had to easily collect in 29 minutes. Soon after, he had to get up to catch. It was then the Stan who attacked through Giraud but his cross into the home box was missed by everyone. Gascoigne then advanced & passed to Pearson who crossed to Hopper in the box, but his shot was blocked by Langley. It was the closest the Stan had come to scoring. In 32 minutes, Giraud shot over the home bar. 3 minutes later an advancing Morpeth player only had Lister to beat but the Stan keeper made a great save. In 36 minutes, a Morpeth player broke again &, just outside the Stan box, Shepherd tugged his shirt once, but the referee overreacted & sent him off. The ball from the resulting free kick hit the bar & went over it. The Stan were still trying to attack but in 41 minutes a Morpeth cross into the Stan box saw the ball headed down & went just wide. Hopper then advanced & was brought down just outside the home box but nothing was given. In 43 minutes, a ball from a Gascoigne free kick, was headed out by Hopper. In 45 minutes, a great save by Lister saw him put a Morpeth shot over the bar. He then punched the ball clear from the resulting corner. The ball came back in but it was missed by the Morpeth player who had advanced into the 6-yard box to make contact with it. A Stan attack was then cleared & the Stan had survived the late onslaught.

The 2nd half started with Lister getting down to save & soon after he punched the ball out for a corner. There was some more Morpeth pressure but in 52 minutes a joined-up Stan attack eventually ended with Pearson passing to the advancing Giraud who was blocked for a corner. Lister caught the ball in 57 minutes & soon after the advancing Hopper was brought down which earned a yellow card for the player responsible. The ball from the resulting Gascoigne free kick went wide. In 60 minutes, a Morpeth long range shot went well wide. In 63 minutes, a joined-up Stan attack ended with a back pass being intercepted but Fil stopped the resulting counter attack. In 67 minutes, a Giraud shot was put out for a corner. From it, Hopper was blocked & pulled down, although nothing was given. Pearson’s follow up shot hit the Morpeth bar & was then put out for a corner. The Stan then won 2 corners & from the 2nd a Giraud ball was caught by Langley. Soon after Langley came out of his box & Pearson took the opportunity to try a speculative shot from halfway but it went wide. In 71 minutes, a ball from a Morpeth corner was headed wide. 2 minutes later, a Morpeth cross into the Stan box was also headed wide. Soon after Gascoigne shot well over. In 75 minutes, Pearson won the ball on halfway but was then brought down & nothing was given. In 77 minutes, a Morpeth attack ended with the ball blasted over the Stan bar. Soon after Lister had to get up to catch a long-range effort. Pearson was then pulled back but nothing was given. Lister then had to get down to smother the ball. The Stan were now having to soak up more pressure. Hornsby had to block for a corner from which the ball was cleared. Sub Chrisp immediately refreshened the Stan attack. In 84 minutes, s ball from a Stan corner was blocked then cleared. In 88 minutes, man of the match Lister got up to confidently catch. Into 4 added minutes, a ball across the Stan goal was cleared. In 92 minutes, a Morpeth attack was headed clear. Morpeth attacked again but the ball eventually went wide. Morpeth attacked again twice but the Stan stopped them on both occasions. The match ended after Gascoigne had steered the ball out for a bye kick. 

Just as had happened in the Northumberland Senior Cup last year, Morpeth could not beat the Stan who held on for a well-deserved point. The Stan are at home next on Saturday when they host league leaders Liversidge.

Stan Team: Lister; Evans; Hornsby; Kanda; Fil; Shepherd (R); Walker; Gascoigne; Pearson (Errington 85); Giraud (Djalo 85); Hopper (Chrisp 81). Subs unused: Storey; Enwere. Attendance: 312. Man of the Match: Dan Lister.

Kevin Mochrie

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