A great first workout for the team in their first friendly prior to our first season as a Northern League club.
Stockton Town got off to a flying start in the build up to our inaugural Northern League Season.
For this pre season game Stockton played each half with a different side only Tom Coulthard played the whole 90 minutes.
Joe Carter, Fred Woodhouse, Daniel O’Brien and Cameron Wilson were the only new faces in the Stockton line up, as Michael Dunwell stuck with his Wearside League promotion winning side.
Sonni Coleman should have sent Stockton in at half time ahead but his 33rd minute shot from the edge of the box, hit the underside of the bar and bounced back into play with Gareth Shaw the West Auckland keeper well beaten.
Stockton made 10 changes for the 2nd half, to give all of the available players 45 minutes.
Kallum Hannah sent an overhead kick just over the bar after 50 minutes as Stockton continued to dominate this game and deservedly took the lead after 59 minutes, with a fine move between two of our new players, Daniel O’Brien sent a perfect ball over from the right for Joe Carter to send a glancing header past Gareth Shaw.
Carter scored again after 75 minutes Hannah took the ball to the bye line before crossing the ball for Carter to turn the ball past Shaw from close range.
The closest West Auckland came to scoring came after 76 minutes Ross Gardner sent a 30 yard free kick just wide of Michael Arthur’s far post.
This was certainly Joe Carter’s night as he completed his hat trick after 80 minutes striking the ball from the edge of the box, through a crowded penalty area the ball finding the bottom corner, that gave Shaw no chance.
Kallum Hannah rounded off the scoring as he won the ball inside the area after 87 minutes before firing past Shaw, to give Stockton Town a fine 4-0 win over 1st division side West Auckland.
Manager Michael Dunwell had 21 players available for the fixture and changed 10 players at the half time interval, with all the players impressing throughout.
Onto the next game now which sees our old friends from Ryhope CW visit us at Bishopton Road West this Wednesday 20th July, kick off 7 30pm.
Admission is Adult £2, OAP/Child £1( Child with Adult – Free)
