Hebburn were held to a stalemate nil-nil draw at home to Northern Premier League East newcomers Heaton Stannington, in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Friday.

Three changes were made from Tuesday’s win over Bishop Auckland as Liam Murray, Olly Martin and Dean Briggs dropped out of the side in favour of Arron Thompson, Joe Walton and the returning Amar Purewal.

It was a quick start for the Hornets as Purewal had looked to have beaten the last defender in the opening minutes, but the Assistant Referee raised her flag for offside, stopping the forward from being one-on-one with Stan goalkeeper Lewis Brass.

The first chance of the game went the way of the visitors. A goalmouth scramble from a corner led to Hebburn bodies being thrown to the ground, but fortunately for the hosts, Thompson came to the rescue and made a goal-saving block.

The away side were then starting to grow into the game in the opening fifteen, and soon after, a good spell of possession led to another chance as the ball fell the way of Leighton Hopper, but the forward saw his shot blocked by Jack Donaghy.

There was then a stoppage as Kailem Beattie required treatment after a challenge from Robbie Spence and subsequently, the visitors were forced into a first half substitution. Alfie Marriott came on in Beattie’s place.

Hebburn’s first meaningful opportunity came in the twenty second minute as Joe Posthill dribbled past the defender and fired a shot towards the top-right corner, but the ball was high and wide. A first glimpse of the Stan goal for the hosts.

Just a couple minutes later, a chance arose for the Hornets again. This time, Aidan Heywood’s in-swinging cross found Spence making a late run, but the ball ricocheted off his shoulder and went over from close range. Promising signs that things were finally starting to click for Daniel Moore’s side.

A flurry of corners then arrived for Heaton, but Hunter was able to collect with safe hands each time. The Hornets were starting to gain confidence following the chances they had created and Posthill delivered a perfectly-timed cross towards Purewal, but his
header narrowly fell wide of the bottom corner to the visitor's relief. You’d think if Hebburn continued this way, then the opener would come at some point in the match.

Both sides lacked quality in the final third as it remained goalless at half time.

The second half began and no changes were made to either side. Liam Noble had the opportunity to deliver from a free kick, early into the second forty-five. Spence won the header from the set-piece, but he wasn’t able to direct his header towards goal and the Stan defence booted clear.

A quadruple substitution then arrived for the Hornets as Olly Martin, Callum Dobson, Leo Robinson and Liam Murray replaced Tom Devitt, Hunter, Noble and Spence, and as for the Stan, their second change saw Hopper substituted for Louis Anderson.

In the sixty-fifth minute, Michael Turner forced a great save out of Brass as his powering header was goalward bound. Purewal also went close from the corner a minute later.

A chance for the visitors arrived in the seventy-fourth minute. Anderson picked the ball up in a promising position, he then laid the ball to Konner Lamb whose effort was tame and straight at Dobson.

Hebburn were searching for a winner as the clock edged closer to the final ten minutes. Martin saw his attempt blocked and the ball fell straight to a trialist who could only fire off target, the Hornets left wondering if it would be one of those nights. The Stan then opted for a final change in the eighty-fifth minute, Marc Ellison replaced David Palmer.

As the clock went into ninety, the referee brought his whistle to his mouth and blew for full time. A disappointing result by the Hornet’s standards against newly promoted opposition.

They will be looking to bounce back in their final pre-season encounter against Blyth Spartans next Saturday, just ten days before they are scheduled to face each other in the league.