Heaton Stannington climbed into the top half of the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division table after coming out on top in a six-goal thriller with North East neighbours Newton Aycliffe.

Lewis Brass returned in goal after missing the previous seven games through injury – and the away side tried to put him under pressure from the kick-off, shooting from the halfway line but without enough lift or power to really test him.

The Stan struggled in the opening stages of the game with Newton Aycliffe playing with dominance and determination. Their first big chance produced the game’s first goal, with some neat passing getting them from midfield to the front line with two quick touches. Cieran Jackson seized upon the ball, weaved between two defenders to get it into his right foot, before slotting into the bottom corner.

Aycliffe tried to double their lead just a few minutes later, but Dan Capewell got down to slide in front of an attempted low cross from captain Ethan Wood. The resulting corner was cleared behind for another one – and from that, Joe Ferguson saw an effort from the edge of the box crack the post, via at least one deflection.

Having improved as the half progressed, the Stan bagged an essential equaliser on 37 minutes. The Aycliffe defence got in front of Joseph Thompson to block the ball from finding him for what would’ve surely been a goal, and then the resulting corner was saved well by the goalkeeper Jim Pollard, but only into the path of Leighton Hopper to stab home his seventh of the season.

Whatever manager Dean Nicholson said at half time had clearly had an effect, because the home side turned the game in their favour from the restart, creating all of the chances in a frantic opening 15 minutes. They deservedly went ahead just after the hour mark when a good spell of passing play in the opposition third ended up at the feet of Connor Walker with enough time and space to steady himself, pick his spot and fire the Stan into the lead.

Just six minutes later, a bit of breathing room. Brass got the ball forward, Joseph Thompson gambled on the flick from a teammate, battled with his defender to retain possession, and then racing through to slot it into the far side of the goal. Louis Anderson had only been on the pitch for around 30 seconds when he made it 4-1, running onto a neat flick by Richie Slaughter before poking home with his left foot.

It could’ve been even more comfortable just a couple of minutes later but Aycliffe’s defence tightened up and gave themselves a platform to rescue something from a game that had totally fallen away from them. It looked as though they would have a fighting chance on 78 minutes when they were awarded a penalty, but Dean Thexton blazed his kick over the bar, much to the delight of Stan goalkeeper Brass who received a booking for his overzealous celebration.

Aycliffe did pull a goal back to make it 4-2 in injury time through Cole Kiernan, but the job had been done earlier in the match with the Stan showing the kind of dominance and clinical finishing that some games have missed this season. Another historic night as the club secured its first home league win in the Northern Premier League East Division – and attention now turns to a trip to Bradford (Park Avenue) on Saturday to see if they can make it back-to-back league victories for the first time.

Liam Milburn

Having picked up their first point of the season at North Ferriby two days earlier, Heaton Stannington ended the August bank holiday weekend with a first point at Grounsell Park with an entertaining 3-3 draw against Consett.

The away side had the first chance inside the first minute – Callum Corkhill’s kick up field was seized upon by a red shirt in midfield, who played the ball forward to their left winger. He ran into the area and tried to sneak the ball in under the keeper at his near post – it was off target but it showed their confidence in attack and willingness to hit us early.

The Stan took the lead on 10 minutes. A corner pinballed around the box, eventually landing for Hopper inside the six-yard box, but he was tripped as he tried to hold it up and the referee had no hesitation as he pointed to the spot. The only person with less hesitation was Hopper himself as he calmly side-footed the penalty into the bottom-right corner.

It was almost 2-0 just a few minutes later as some good combination play between Hopper, Sayer and Walker put Louis Anderson in on goal, but a heavy touch on the bouncing ball meant that he had to improvise and scissor kick for his finish, and ended up giving the keeper a save from close range.

Being more clinical is something the Stan need to sort out sharp if they are to start turning draws into wins. Having had plenty of opportunities to go further ahead, Consett seized upon some good fortune and equalised with four minutes of the first half remaining. The referee incorrectly awarded them a throw 18 yards from goal, which they used to their advantage, managed to work a cross into the area for Marc Costello to flick home.

Just before the break, Richie Slaughter forced a good save from the Consett keeper with a neat side-footed volley from the edge of the area.

The Stan restored their lead on 56 minutes. Kane Evans pumped forward a diagonal ball towards the penalty area, and Leighton Hopper got between the Consett centre-backs to control it beautifully. He had the time and space to work it onto his left foot and he bent a shot into the far top corner.

But the lead was short-lived – a cross from the right wasn’t dealt with and allowed Isaac Walker to drill a shot low into the bottom corner.

Things would get even worse just four minutes later as Consett went ahead. Another failure to clear our lines – this time from a corner – presented Liam Colledge with the chance to head into the far corner.

If there’s one thing we’ve seen so far this season, the Stan don’t go down without a fight, and they piled on the pressure to take something from the game. Having had one saved in the first half, Slaughter tried his luck from outside the box on 76 minutes and was successful this time.

The Consett keeper fisted away a corner, but the Stan got back onto the ball and kept the move alive. A second cross was headed out of the six-yard box, but only to our captain, who controlled, took it past one man, and then unleashed the cleanest of hits, leaving the keeper unable to do anything but watch it fly past his head.

Both sides had chances to win the game. Corkhill made a brilliant save low to his left on 86 minutes, and Connor Walker should’ve done better with an opportunity presented to him from Consett trying and failing to play out from the back.

Although it’s far too early to take the league table seriously, this point lifted the Stan out of the relegation zone, and once again there were plenty of signs to be optimistic about the first win of the season not being too far away.

Callum Corkhill; Kane Evans, Kailem Beattie (Jay Hornsby 58), Mark Turnbull, Joe Shepherd, Daniel Sayer (Marc Ellison 80); Andy Burn (Connor Walker 71), Richie Slaughter, Dan Stephenson; Leighton Hopper, Louis Anderson (James Harper 62)

Subs not used: Jordan Lashley

Liam Milburn

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It was a historic sunny Saturday afternoon for the Stan as they played their 1^st league match at tier 4 of non-league & also took on Belper Town for the 1^st time. Unfortunately, after going ahead, the Stan ended up losing the match by a goal. There were 2 changes from the previous Friday night’s FA Cup win with Marriott & Anderson replacing Hornsby & Sayer. The match was preceded by a minute’s applause in memory of Stan volunteer Brian Pratt who sadly passed away in May.

After a quiet start, Belper headed wide from a corner in the 5^th minute. The 1^st Stan attack came in the 10^th minute & a minute later a Slaughter free kick was cleared & although the ball was again sent back into the Belper box twice it was cleared on both occasions. Soon after Belper had a corner which saw the ball initially blocked with the rebound shot being cleared off the goal line by Palmer. Both teams were now trying to attack as the match got livelier. Belper shot wide in the 15^th minute followed by Walker being blocked in the visitor’s box, but nothing was given. In 18 minutes, an attack started by Slaughter was headed out for a corner. From it the ball went out to Lamb who crossed to Palmer, but his shot was blocked. 2 minutes later & a Stan attack was cleared & although the ball was sent back in it was headed clear under pressure. In the 23^rd minute, a Lamb free kick hit the wall & Hopper’s rebound shot went over the bar. Stan then had a free kick cleared. After a good initial start by Belper, it was now the Stan who were in the ascendancy. Both teams were though trying to attack & it was Belper who came close to scoring in 27 minutes. At the end of a Belper attack the ball was kept in by a visiting player when it looked to everyone else that it was going out. He managed to send the ball across the goal line & although it was missed by everyone except a Belper player on the far side of the goal whose shot was expertly aved by Brass. 3 minutes later & Belper shot well wide. There was then a quieter period until the start of a few minutes of Stan pressure from the 38^th minute. Lamb ran down the left & shot wide & in 41 minutes, after Anderson was brought down just outside the box, Slaughter sent the resulting free kick wide but it was deflected for a throw in. After a Belper attack was cleared, the 1^st half ended goalless.

Both teams started the 2^nd half positively. In 50 minutes, the Stan came close to scoring when a Lamb free kick into the box just missed Hopper & Turnbull & it went just wide. In 52 minutes, Hopper advanced into the Belper box & was brought down. The resulting penalty in the 54^th minute was put comfortably into the net by Hopper for 1-0 to the Stan & it was their 1^st goal in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East.  There was then some more pressure by the Stan although Palmer & Turnbull both had to be replaced due to injuries. In 67 minutes, Belper were level when a shot was blocked but the rebound effort was put into the net. In 70 minutes, a Lamb free kick into the packed Belper box saw a shot by blocked by the keeper & the rebound shot was also cleared. An almost identical free kick from Lamb a minute later was headed clear & although Slaughter was fouled Belper were allowed to continue with their counterattack involving 5 players against 1 although they shot over the bar. 2 minutes later & another Belper counterattack ended with a shot going well wide. In 74 minutes, a Lamb shot was caught by the Belper keeper. The Stan defence had to work well for a couple of minutes although after 80 minutes a Hopper high ball into the Belper box was blocked. In 82 minutes, a ball from a Belper free kick was blocked in the Stan box twice before an opportune shot from the edge of the box went past everyone & into the net for 2-1 to Belper. In 85 minutes, Lamb sent a ball into the Belper box for sub Lashley at the far side of goal but his downward header was somehow stopped by the Belper keeper. The ball was sent back in by sub Burn but the keeper caught it. The Belper keeper Dan Moore again frustrated the Stan when in 87 minutes he got to the ball just before the advancing Lamb & he hit the ball off Lamb & was able to catch it. Belper then sent a ball up & into the 6 yard box but it hit one of their own players in front of goal but was unseen by him allowing Brass to catch it. Into 4 minutes of added time & Belper managed to keep the ball in the Stan half for most of it.& the match ended disappointingly for the Stan.

Despite the Stan deserving at least a draw, the visitors left with all 3 points. It was the Stan’s 1^st home league defat since the 1^st match of last season with them only losing once at home in the league last season. There is more history on Tuesday night as the Stan travel to Pontefract for their 1^st away fixture in the Pitching In Northern League East.

Stan Team: Brass; Marriott; Evans; Palmer (Burn 62); Turnbull (Lashley 74); Shepherd; Walker (Foster 86); Slaughter; Anderson; Hopper; Lamb. Attendance: 417. MoM: Kane Evans.

Kevin Mochrie

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