Stan hailed by boss after big semi-final win
DEAN Nicholson hailed the ‘effort and togetherness’ of his Heaton Stannington squad after they reached the Division One play-off final with a narrow win against Birtley Town on Thursday night.
After a tense and nervy opening 45 minutes where it was the Hoops that were marginally the more threatening of the two sides, it was the Stan that struck first when captain Joe Shepherd grabbed the only goal of the game just six minutes into the second-half.
The centre-back found himself 25 yards from goal when he unleashed a powerful drive that left Town keeper Alfie Gordon grasping at thin air and set off wild celebrations from the home faithful.
With both sides roared on by an impressive crowd of over 1,200, Gordon kept his side in the game with stunning saves to deny Sean Reid and Konner Lamb - but his team-mates were unable to prevent their hosts setting up a home final date with West Auckland Town on Monday afternoon.
“I think we deserved to win,” Stan boss Nicholson told The Journal.
“They were better in the firsthalf, when it very cagey and very nervous, and nobody wanted to make a mistake.
‘That’s not us, we wanted to have a real go and I thought we were excellent in the second-half. I am lost for words again but the effort and the togetherness they have put in was just incredible really.”
The Northern League play-off final picture will be completed this afternoon when Division Two rivals Easington Colliery and Bedlington Terriers meet at Welfare Park.
The Colliers finished the regular season six points and one place above their visitors - but the Northumberland outfit completed a league double over Olly Hotchkiss’ men during the campaign.
The Colliers boss saw enough in both defeats to suggest his side are in for “an extremely tough game” at Welfare Park - but he backed his side to hit the levels they have shown throughout the campaign.
He said: “It’s a great occasion for the club to be involved in and demonstrates how well we have done to get into the play-offs in the first place.
“We have finished all the work needed and now all focus is on the game.”