Heaton Stannington Vs Grimsby Borough: Match Preview

Heaton Stannington Vs Grimsby Borough: Match Preview

The Wilderness Boys make the trip up to the Tyne & Wear region on Saturday to face Heaton Stannington at The Willow Park, searching for their second win on the road in what has been a difficult start to the 2026/27 campaign.

Aside from the heavy defeat at Bradford Park Avenue and the early season setback against Liversedge, however, they have been competitive in most of their nine league clashes to date, often falling victim to fine margins and late heartbreak.

Borough haven’t been helped by long-term injuries to attacking players such as Edwin Essel, Anane Wireko, Charlie Burden-Whittleton, and Mason Couch throughout August and September. Though Josh Clarke is now getting up to speed after his knock, while fellow midfielder Josh Venney is showing signs of being back to his best following his own spell on the sidelines for the first few games; the diminutive playmaker earning the Man of the Match award last time out.

The Wilderness Boys will be looking for a positive performance and result following narrow defeats against Stocksbridge Park Steels and Consett in recent weeks; two games that followed the familiar pattern of Borough controlling large parts, but failing to capitalise on their dominance.

They’ll hope to have defenders Bradley Wood and AJ Adelekan back for one of their longer away journey's of the season, with their experience and physicality being missed in last week’s match against the Steelmen. Attacker Jack Barlow could return, too, while Harvey Cribb, Paul Walker, and Kieron Ceesay will be pushing for a starting place having been among the substitutes of late. New loan signing Alex Graham is available following the defender's move from Grimsby Town earlier.

Heaton Stannington have made a reasonably strong start to the campaign overall as they look to go one better than last season and earn a play-off spot after missing out in April, when they finished in seventh place.

An opening day 2-0 victory over Stocksbridge was followed up by 1-1 stalemate against Guisborough Town as Dean Nicholson’s men hit the ground running.

A 2-1 defeat at Lincoln United was soon rectified with a solid goalless draw at Silsden and progression in FA Cup qualifying against Kendal Town, though The Stan would bow out of the FA Trophy at the hands of Wythenshawe at the end of August.

They then saw off Ashington by two goals to one, before more success in the FA Cup as they edged out Knaresborough Town by a solitary goal. Another strong performance on the road earned a point in a goalless draw at Morpeth Town, before a good 2-1 victory against early high-flyers Liversedge had Heaton among the pacesetters.

Recent defeats to Dunston (1-0) and West Auckland Town (3-1), along with a 2-1 reverse at Trafford that saw them exit the FA Cup at the second qualifying round stage, mean that Nicholson’s side currently sit in eighth place in the step four standings, just two points outside the top five, and the Newcastle upon Tyne outfit will once again provide a very tough test on their own patch this weekend.

The Stan were busy over the summer, adding Blyth Town trio Cameron Gascoigne, Cyril Giraud, and Alex Fil to their ranks, along with Whitley Bay midfielder Mechack Kanda and goalkeepers Ollie Bassey and Dan Lister from Newcastle Benfield and Newcastle Blue Star respectively. Former Dunston striker Sado Djalo and Durham United attacker Tomas Boothroyd also came in to add more firepower going forward.

Midfielder JJ Chrisp turned his loan move from the aforementioned Dunston into a permanent stay in June, while the likes of Dale Pearson, Jay Errington and Joe Shepherd remain key figures in the ‘Stan’ squad

Having played each other on four occasions previously, the head-to-head record is fairly even, with both sides winning on two occasions respectively. It’s a fixture that usually sees goals aplenty, with Heaton winning 4-0 at The Willow Park last December, before the Wilderness Boys ran out victors by four goals to one in the penultimate game of the 2025/26 season at the Technica Home of Grimsby Borough in April.

It’s another tough matchup on the road for Borough, but one they’ll hope provides the outcome needed to kick-start their Northern Premier League Division One East season and lead to a confidence-building run of results. Safe journey to all those heading up to support the lads.