With the title up for grabs today, both side should have been ready for the biggest game of the season and in a strong wind, the game began at a fairly quick pace, but with West Middlesbrough not giving Stainton any time to settle on the ball.
On 10 minutes this pressure led to a West Middlesbrough goal, with the ball falling to the edge of the Stainton box from a corner for a shot through the crowded box and past the stand in Stainton goalkeeper Anthony Biswas. 1-0 West Middlesbrough.
With a lot of the passing being completed by West Middlesbrough, they managed to go 2 ahead on 21 Minutes. This time a ball inside the Stainton box was not cleared and fell to the West Middlesbrough striker for 2-0.
This goal seemed to give Stainton a slight kick and they got the game more blanced for the rest of the half, but still failed to create any clear cut opportunities apart from a chance for Lewis Tidy who done very well to get himself 1 on 1 with the West Middlesbrough goalkeeper before placing his shot wide of the post while wide of the near post and under pressure.
The second half saw Stainton’s regular goalkeeper Barry Davies replace Matty Devine, in the hope of a spirited second half comeback, but on 52 minutes a long ball into the stainton box saw the striker run inside the box , only for Davies to win the ball at his feet, but in the process bring down the striker, which ended up with the referee pointing to the spot. With the penalty keenly put away, Stainton were left 3-0 down.
This saw a spell of indiscipline in the Stainton ranks with both Denny Alderson (bad tackle) and Barry Davies (Dissent) both receiving yellow cards.
The game continued to be contested but when Lewis Tidy was given a yellow card on 80 minutes, followed by a red 1 minute later (2 bad tackles), Stainton were down to 10 men.
On 82 minutes a fairly inoffensive free kick in the centre of the park was hoisted long into the Stainton box which was headed back to the keeper, Daviesin the air, but who could not hold the pass and the ball fell to the West Middlesbrough Striker to tap the ball home for 4-0.
With the game virtually over and the title within West Middlesbrough’s grasp 2 yellow cards for both Richie May and Karl Taylor saw the end of the game and the second division title go to West Middlesbrough. Leaving Stainton to confirm second place next week at home to Whale Hill.
Man of the match – not given.
