Stockton Town’s early season woes continued with a 5-3 defeat at Avro.
A hattrick from Benito Lowe and brace from Taylor Dyson were enough to propel the newly promoted side past Stockton. The Anchors goals came from Jaedon Faulkner and Frank Nouble with their first for the club, and a first in over two years for Cam Painter.
Michael Dunwell named two changes to his Starting XI. Faulkner was given the start on the right and Paul Rooney was put into midfield for his first start as an Anchor.
Stockton made a bright start to the game. Faulkner drove towards goal and saw his strike deflected over the bar. From the resulting corner, Adam Nicholson powered a header over.
But it was Avro who opened the scoring when Dyson’s freekick from range snuck into the bottom corner.
A few minutes later the home side almost doubled their lead but Harry Showman fluffed his lines when he bore down on goal.
Shortly before the half hour, Stockton levelled when Faulkner again drove into the box and his low effort found the bottom corner.
Parity barely lasted for the Anchors. Avro regained the lead when Lowe found himself through on goal and he took it round Harker to score.
Stockton went further behind when Dyson bagged his second when he ghosted in behind and tucked home from a lofted ball into the box.
Half-Time: Avro 3-1 Stockton Town.
Stockton looked to start the second half in a positive fashion, Josh Scott broke through the middle but found his shot saved by the legs of Vilar Robinson.
The Anchors pulled a goal back when Callum Bone stood up an excellent cross for Painter to plant in a towering header.
Bone then took a strike on himself and fired over the bar from range.
Avro restored their two-goal lead when Ethan Kershaw was found down the right and he clipped in a cross to the backpost which was headed in by Lowe.
The game could have really escaped Stockton but Tom Coulthard made a pivotal block to stop Dyson from completing his hattrick.
A triple change was made to improve Stockton’s fortunes as Stephen Thompson, Tom Birtles and Frank Nouble came on to the pitch.
It made an impact when Birtles threaded the ball through for Nouble and confidently fired beyond into the corner to turn it back into a one-goal game.
Stockton had a chance to equalise when another fine cross from Bone was headed on goal by Scott but Vilar Robinson managed to make the save.
The Anchors pushed forward in pursuit of the leveller but Avro struck on the break. The ball eventually found Lowe who wrapped up the game and completed his hattrick with a low effort which clipped the post before it nestled in.
Full-Time: Avro 5-3 Stockton Town
Stockton Town’s hectic August schedule finally concludes on Bank Holiday Monday when they face Teesside rivals Redcar Athletic in a first competitive meeting since 2016.
