West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division: Steeton 2 Lepton Highlanders 0

Steeton stole a march on their rivals in the only top-flight game on Saturday to go fourth in the table.

With other sides in district cup action, the Chevrons bounced back after their defeat to Lower Hopton the previous week.

After some superb performances in the reserves, Steve Pearson was given the No 5 shirt and Tom Sowerbutts the No 7, with Kyle Fox and Andy Holden on the bench.

The hosts almost took the lead after ten minutes when Joe Mason rolled a superb pass through to Ben Clarkson but the striker's effort cleared the bar.

The breakthrough came after half an hour when Sowerbutts' run into the area was ended by a trip and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a spot-kick. Lee Reilly stepped up to the mark to score his 12th goal of the season.

An equaliser almost came minutes before the interval when a short back-pass forced keeper Wayne Mahomet into a hurried clearance and the ball ricocheted off an onrushing forward, bouncing inches wide.

The visitors came out strongly in the second half but Pearson and centre-back partner Alistair Morgan seemed to have everything under control.

There were few forays down the right wing, so left back Olly Hunter was able to join the home attack with freedom.

However, on the hour-mark the defence was breached and Mahomet was judged to have tripped an opponent just a few feet outside the area.

Surprisingly, no card was shown and the goalkeeper was able to atone by diving full length to grasp the ball at the foot of the post to prevent a certain goal. He was not so fortunate minutes later though as he inadvertently received a kick on the knee from Pearson in defending another attack.

Mahomet received lengthy treatment and soon afterwards was replaced by substitute Sam Rooke on 78 minutes.

With time running out a second goal almost came when a superb cross by substitute Holden was met by Reilly who brought the best out of the Lepton goalkeeper.

But the points were sealed a minute later when Sowerbutts beat his man and fired a shot across the goalkeeper into the bottom corner of the net.

Victory saw Steeton leapfrog Newsome into fourth spot, three points behind leaders Huddersfield YMCA, who have played two games more.

Steeton visit Overthorpe SC in the first round of the League Cup on Saturday.

Steeton: Mahomet (Rooke), Mason, Hunter, Morgan, Pearson, Hird, Sowerbutts, Thompson, Reilly, Clarkson (Holden), Butterfield (Richardson).