The Stan bounced back from mid-week defeat to beat Garforth Town who were one place above them in the league. It was a hard fought but deserved win with Garforth competing throughout the match on a sunny afternoon in front of 301 fans. There were 2 changes from Tuesday’s home defeat to Redcar Athletic with Brass & Hornsby replacing Gordon & Deverdics. For the 3rd match in a row, there was an ex-player returning to action for the Stan. This time it was man of the match Lewis Brass in goal.

After a slow start, in the 6th minute Burn played in Lamb, but he was offside. Garforth then had a free kick into the Stan box which ended with the ball going well high & wide. In 10 minutes, a Stan attack came to nothing. The Stan attacked again eventually resulting in a corner which came to nothing. In 14 minutes, a high ball into a busy Stan box saw a Garforth shot going just wide. Another Garforth attack was cleared followed by Lamb counter attacking but a defender headed back to Flatters in the Garforth goal. The Stan pressurised again but it came to nothing. Garforth counter attacked forcing a great save from Brass. It was end to end now but both teams were cancelling each other out. In 23 minutes, a Garforth corner resulted in Brass catching but not holding the ball but Shepherd managed to clear. In 26 minutes, a Pearson throw in into the Garforth box was headed on by Capewell, but the ball was cleared. Garforth counter attacked but were stopped by a great save from Brass. 2 minutes later, a great long range shot by Burn went just over. In 29 minutes, Lamb sent a long ball to the advancing Pearson who, under pressure, slotted the ball past Flatters to make it 1-0 for the Stan. Garforth didn’t give up & in 31 minutes Brass got down to save in a busy box. In 33 minutes, Hornsby sent a high ball into the Garforth box, but Flatters got up to save. The Stan then had a throw in into the Garforth box which was headed clear. Chrisp’s rebound shot was partly cleared before the ball was sent back in & cleared again. In 38 minutes, Burn sent a free kick into the Garforth box & a Stan shot went just wide. Garforth then counter attacked with a player rounding Brass, but the ball was cleared off the line by Evans. Garforth then had a corner which resulted in Shepherd heading clear followed by the ball being blocked twice. In 42 minutes, a Garforth attack was cleared. The Stan then had a high free kick into the Garforth box which Flattesr got at the 2nd attempt. Garforth then had a free kick into the Stan box which was cleared. The 1st half ended with the Stan holding onto their 1-0 lead against a dangerous Garforth team.

Both teams started the 2nd half attacking. In 49 minutes, Lamb won the ball & advanced into the Garforth box under pressure, but Flatters got down to grab the ball. Both teams were trying to attack & in 54 minutes a Walker shot was easily caught by Flatters. This was followed by a Burn free kick which ended with a Johnson shot being caught by Flatters. 2 minutes later, a Burn free kick into the Garforth box went straight to Flatters. Soon after, Johnson sliced a shot across the Garforth goal, but an unmarked Lamb could not make contact at the far post to put away a good opportunity. Soon after, the ball went back into the Garforth box, but Flatters got to the ball 1st. In 61 minutes, a Garforth shot went wide in a busy Stan box. In 67 minutes, there were 2 good opportunities for the Stan when a Lamb shot was blocked by Flatters & he then stopped the Pearson rebound effort. In 70 minutes, Johnson forced a corner from which Flatters caught the ball. A minute later & Evans cleared a ball from a Garforth corner. Lamb then cleared again followed by a Garforth free kick that hit the wall & the attack ended with Garforth shooting just over the Stan bar. In 77 minutes, a Garforth corner was cleared in the Stan 6-yard box. Johnson counter attacked with the ball eventually being put over the Garforth bar. In 79 minutes, Pearson passed to Johnson whose shot was deflected off a defender, but Flatters got down to save. In 82 minutes, Brass easily got down to collect twice. 3 minutes later & sub Errington shot in the Garforth box but Flatters blocked with his body. In 86 minutes, a Burn corner was cleared out to Pearson whose shot was blocked by Flatters. In 91 minutes, Evans cleared. A minute later & Brass made a great save as Garforth advanced on mass. The Stan had to clear again before trying to attack themselves, but the match finished still only 1-0.

The Stan deservedly won with a good professional display but had to hold on against good opposition. As a result, the Stan have moved up from 8th to 7th with Garforth dropping to 9th. Credit must be given to both keepers made number great saves to keep the score down. Next Saturday the Stan travel to Yorkshire to take on 3rd placed Emley. 

Stan Team: Brass; Evans; Hornsby (Deverdics 82); Chrisp; Capewell; Shepherd; Walker; Burn; Pearson (Y); Johnson; Lamb (Errington 74 (Y)). Subs not used: Storey; Gordon; Hopper. Attendance 301. Man of the Match: Lewis Brass.                  

Kevin Mochrie

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It was always going to be a challenge for the Stan as league leaders Redcar Athletic visited Willow Park on the back of 9 consecutive wins and being unbeaten in 18 matches. An injury hit Stan battled but unsuccessfully as Redcar won 4-0. Although they deserved to win, the score flattered the visitors especially as 2 goals were avoidable & the 4th was scored late on against the run of play as the Stan attempted a comeback in the 2nd half. There were 3 changes from Saturday’s away defeat to Silsden with Deverdics, Walker & Lamb replacing Milburn, Robson & Errington. Danny Sayer made his return for the club from the bench. 

Redcar started on the attack although it was the Stan who threatened 1st in the 3rd minute when a long ball to Lamb in the Redcar box saw him brought down but nothing was given. 2 minutes later & a Johnson attack saw his shot forced wide. Redcar avoidably score in the 8th minute when a back pass was sliced by Gordon & the ball went towards the advancing Boyes but although his 1st touch was blocked by a defender, he put the ball in the net at the 2nd attempt. Soon after, the Stan had a chance to equalise when a joined-up attack ended with a blasted shot by Shepherd which was stopped by Mazfari in the Redcar goal. In the 11th minute, although it should still have been goalless, Redcar were 2-0 up when a counterattack saw Gordon come out for the ball, but it was not properly cleared & Boyes forced it into the net. In 14 minutes, there was a scramble in the Stan box, but the flag was eventually up. In 17 minutes, Lamb attacked followed by a Redcar attack that were both cleared. Both teams were trying to attack on a regular basis but none of the attacks at either end were coming to anything. Things changed in the 41st minute when a joined-up attack by Redcar saw the ball go to Guru & he brought it down in the middle of the busy box & comfortably slotted it past Gordon for 0-3. Soon after the Stan had half time to cover at half time from the shock of being undeservedly 3-0 down.

After a quiet start to the 2nd half, a Redcar player advanced in the 51st minute &, with only Gordon to beat, shot just wide when it looked like he was going to score. The Stan were still trying to attack & in 59 minutes a Pearson ball into the Redcar box was headed clear to Lamb who was blocked followed by Burn shooting wide. The Stan were having more of the ball than Redcar now & in 64 minutes, after the advancing Lamb was brought down, Burn’s free kick was cleared. The ball went back in but was cleared twice. In 68 minutes, Johnson advanced into the box & controlled the ball but his shot in the busy box hit the side netting although the flag then went up. Soon after, a Pearson ball went across the Redcar box but there was no one there to make contact. In 74 minutes, a Crisp free kick into the Redcar box saw a Stan shot but Mazfari got down to block but the flag then went up. Redcar had a rare corner in 76 minutes that was cleared. 2 minutes later & a Pearson shot was blocked by Mazfari. In 80 minutes, Redcar had a rare advance & hit the side netting. There was more Stan pressure in 84 minutes but 2 minutes later Gordon had to come out to clear before an advancing Redcar player could get to the ball. Against the 2nd half run of play, Redcar scored a 4th goal & Boyes got his hattrick in 88 minutes when he got the ball on the right & under pressure shot & scored off the left post. The Stan resumed attacking but the match ended 0-4.

Unlike in the gameshow of the same name as the size of the crowd, 321, the Stan did not leave with a prize or even a Dusty bin. As Redcar look certain to be promoted, most of their remaining opponents will likely have a similar fate thanks to their clinical approach & well-paid players. The Stan can get back to winning ways on Saturday when they host Garforth Town.

Stan Team: Gordon; Evans; Chrisp; Deverdics (Hornsby 73); Capewell; Shepherd; Walker; Burn; Johnson (Sayer 86); Pearson (Y); Lamb (Storey 73). Sub not used: Flynn. Attendance 321. Man of the Match: Connor Walker.                  

Kevin Mochrie

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