The Stan’s 1st game for 22 days & their 1st of 2026 saw them get the January (Dunston) blues. The home team took an early lead & although they did not deserve it, they were sharper than the Stan & took a 3-goal lead before the Stan got back into the game late on including through a great Hopper goal. There were 2 changes from the boxing day draw at Consett with Evans & Payne replacing Chrisp, who was ineligible to play against his parent club, & Stephenson who has left the Stan. The Stan Army were in Gateshead on mass supporting their team including football legends Bill Colwill & Peter Bearsdley. 

Both 4th placed Dunston & 8th placed Heaton Stannington started positively. Dunston were 1st to threaten in the 3rd minute & unfortunately it resulted in a goal. A ball from a long throw in was blocked but the rebound shot from Swailles was put into the right corner of the Stan net. Dunston immediately threatened again with Gordon putting the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, Dunston headed the ball over the bar. The next 10 minutes saw 3 more Dunston attacks with the Stan not really in the game apart from a high long range Lamb effort. In 14 minutes, a Dunston cross into the Stan box was sliced over the Stan bar when it could have been in the back of the net. In the 20th minute, there was a great twisting run by Hopper who tried to pass under pressure & Lowson in the home goal eventually caught the ball. Soon after, Hopper shot again from just outside the box, but Lowson made a stretching save. In 22 minutes, a Stan attack was cleared for a corner from which the ball was cleared. In 26 minutes, Capewell had to head clear & the rebound Dunston shot was caught by Gordon. Dunston then had another shot which went across the Stan goal & out & 3 minutes later Gordon had to make a save. A minute later & he caught the ball from a free kick. Pearson then broke into the Dunston box but his attempted pass to Hopper was blocked. Dunston counter attacked & the Stan defence blocked their advance 3 times. In 37 minutes, Hopper advanced into the Dunston box but O’Donnell went down to undeservedly get Hopper booked. In 39 minutes, a Dunston free kick was headed clear. Soon after a high ball into the box was caught by Gordon. He then went to clear the ball as a Dunston player went towards him, but he missed although a defender cleared for a corner. From it, the ball was cleared off the line by Evans. Burn then sent the ball up towards the advancing Hopper but Lowson caught it. In 44 minutes, from a Stan throw in, Capewell headed the ball on towards Pearson who was pulled down in the Dunston box but nothing was given. Into added time & Pearson broke but couldn’t get his shot in under pressure. The half ended with a Stan corner, from which Hopper shot just over the bar.

The 2nd half started with Dunston pressure although in the 54th minute Pearson shot across the Dunston goal & the ball went just wide. 2 minutes later & Gordon got down to save a deflected Dunston effort. In 60 minutes, after Capewell cleared, the Stan counter attacked through Walker but the ball was cleared. A minute later & a Dunston effort from just outside the Stan box skimmed the outside of the post. Both teams were trying to attack but it was Dunston who scored again in the 69th minute when an attack down the right saw the ball passed back to Edwards just outside the Stan box who blasted the ball into the net. Both teams attacked again but again it was Dunston who scored in the 75th minute when Robinson scored with a shot from the edge of the Stan box. This 3rd Dunston goal saw the Stan step up a gear & dominate most of the remainder of the match. In 86 minutes, sub Errington advanced down the right & crossed the ball into the Dunston box for Hopper to expertly head the ball into the back of the net. The Stan were now looking more confident & were desperate for another goal & were encouraged further by 5 minutes of added time. In 87 minutes, the ball was crossed into the Dunston box, but a Stan player didn’t get up to head it. The Stan then attacked into the Dunston box again but the move finished with Errington being blocked. The ball went back in but Pearson’s shot was saved by Lowson when the ball looked like it was going into the net. In 92 minutes, a Stan free kick into the home box was blocked for a throw in. From it the ball was headed just over by Capewell in the crowded box. The game finished with more Stan pressure as Beattie’s shot was blocked by Lowson.

Although they got back into the match late on, it was too little too late as the Stan suffered only their 3rd away league defeat since 2024. With Dunston having played on Tuesday night, they were less rusty than the Stan were after their long break. They probably wont have this problem again for a while as from Tuesday, when they host Ashington, they have 5 home games in 15 days.

Stan Team: Gordon; Milburn (Johnson 63); Evans (Shepherd 75); Payne (Beattie 63 (Y)); Capewell; Robson; Hopper (Y); Burn; Pearson; Walker (Storey 75); Lamb (Errington 63). All Subs used. Attendance 383. Man of the Match: Andy Burn.                       

Kevin Mochrie

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After nearly 2000 miles of travelling so far this season, the Stan only had to cross the Tyne & travel 8 miles to face Dunston for the 1^st time ever in league action. Unfortunately, although they deserved at least a point, the Stan’s 4 match unbeaten run came to an end. There were no changes from Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Sherwood Colliery.

Dunston started on the attack & the 1^st 20 minutes saw the Stan finding it difficult to get possession. In the initial 1^st minute attack, a penalty was awarded to Dunston for a high foot by Slaughter as a home player tried to head the ball in the box. The resulting 3rd minute penalty though was expertly saved by Brass who dived the right way. The Dunston possession continued & in 7 minutes one of their players passed from the left across the front of the Stan goal to an advancing teammate but Shepherd managed get back & position himself to prevent him putting the ball in the net & it went out for a goal kick. The Stan were trying to attack but to no avail, & in 13 minutes Dunston headed wide. In 21 minutes, Evans stopped a Dunston attack allowing Stephenson to counter attack & pass to the also advancing Lamb who returned the ball to Stephenson but his shot was blocked near the left post. This was the Stan’s 1^st clear attack & they started to get more into the game after this although Dunston still looked dangerous. In 30 minutes, a home shot deflected off Beattie for a corner but it could have gone anywhere. From the corner, Brass caught the ball which was then followed by a joined-up Stan attack although it ended with Lamb scuffing his shot. Dunston then shot just wide under pressure followed by another attack that was blocked by Shepherd. In 38 minutes, a ball up to the advancing Lamb was blocked by the home keeper & the rebound shot from a Stan player forced a great save from the keeper. From the resulting corner, there was a scramble in the 6-yard box resulting in Thompson forcing the ball into the net to make it 1-0 to the Stan in 38 minutes. 3 minutes later & Dunston were back on level terms when, from a corner after a great tackle by Evans, Swailes got up to head into the Stan net. In 43 minutes, Dunston were 2-1 up when a free kick into the Stan box was initially cleared but was sent back in towards the goal & was headed down to allow Devitt to kick it into the net. The Stan had some late pressure but they went into the break shocked by the late change in fortunes.

The Stan came out for the 2^nd half with their heads held high & started positively with 2 early corners. In 53 minutes, Dunston headed wide, but 2 minutes later Lamb won the ball & supplied Beattie who did a 1-2 with Richardson but was blocked in the home box. Although the Stan were keeping the pressure on, it was Dunston who had the next clear chance in 64 minutes when they headed just wide. The Stan then forced a block then a save by the Dunston keeper. The Stan were now looking more confident & stringing passes together. In 69 minutes, a speculative shot by Lamb forced the keeper to get down to save. Lamb had another shot blocked 5 minutes later. Soon after, a Stephenson free kick into the home box was missed by Shepherd under pressure. After more sustained Stan pressure, they got an equaliser in 79 minutes. Thompson sent the ball into the Dunston box & it was headed into the net by Burn who had only been on the pitch for 3 minutes. The Stan sensed the opportunity was still there to win the match & kept the pressure on Dunston including through 2 free kicks into the home box. In 85 minutes though it was Dunston who were in the lead when, from a corner, Swailes again headed into the Stan net against the run of play. The Stan resumed their pressure & Dunston headed a ball clear in 87 minutes. In 89 minutes though, Dunston came close to scoring again when a solo run saw a player shoot across goal but the ball went just wide under pressure. 8 minutes of added time saw the Stan try to attack but with no more goals coming even though the match ended with Burn shooting just wide.

Although Dunston had most of the possession in the 1^st half until its frantic finale which included 3 goals in 5 minutes, the Stan stepped up a gear at half time & were the better team in the 2^nd half. Unfortunately, due to clinical finishing from corners by Dunston, they returned over the water with no points. The Stan now have a long journey on Saturday to Nottinghamshire where they face Carlton Town.

Kevin Mochrie

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