STEETON wrote themselves into the history books by becoming the first-ever league opponents for the reformed Bury AFC in front of a sell-out crowd in the North West Counties League First Division North on Saturday.

The match proved to be a fantastic advert for non-league football but ultimately ended in heartbreak for the Chevrons.

With the visitors leading, an injury-time brace from former Bradford (Park Avenue) striker Tom Greaves turned the match on its head as Bury won 3-2.

Title favourites Bury came out of the blocks firing and should have been in front in the opening five minutes when Greaves fired over from close range.

They continued to pile on the pressure, with Greaves and Aidan Chippendale coming close, only to be denied by the outstanding Jordan Moorhouse in the Steeton net.

However, the young goalkeeper was left helpless with 11 minutes gone when centre-back Tony Whitehead picked up the ball and unleashed a thunderous 25-yard half-volley into the top corner to score his side’s first-ever league goal.

Steeton began to settle and produced some neat build-up play, particularly from impressive summer signing Mo Farhan Subhani.

And it was a foul on the agile central midfielder that led to the equaliser.

Ben Wignall stood over the free-kick, and he deceived goalkeeper Edward Wilczynski by firing a low shot under the wall and into the bottom corner.

Steeton had a fantastic chance to score a second when captain Jerry White was left unmarked from a corner, but his header crashed against the crossbar.

The sides went in level at the end of a thoroughly entertaining first half.

The home side continued to impress after the break, with Greaves again thwarted by man of the match Moorhouse.

But midway through the half, the Chevrons introduced striker Andy Briggs, who made an immediate impact.

After good work from Tyler Marsh down the right, he latched on to a cross and collided with Wilczynski, with the referee ruling it a foul on the Bury stopper.

Minutes later, he thought he had given Steeton the lead with a low shot, only for it to go agonisingly wide.

Briggs soon had his reward when he scored what looked to be the winner in the 81st minute.

Kayle Price robbed a defender of the ball on the edge of the box and squared to Jake Townsend, who dummied and allowed the onrushing Briggs to slot home at the far post for his second goal of the season.

Bury then began to throw everything at the game in search of a result, but they were perhaps fortunate not to go down to 10 men after what looked like a blatant push on James Wolfenden, in retaliation to an earlier foul down the wing.

Steeton were left feeling even more aggrieved after suffering heartbreak in the final few minutes.

First, the home side won a soft penalty and experienced striker Greaves fired a powerful penalty straight down the middle and just out of the reach of Moorhouse.

The late drama continued as they were rewarded with a winner deep into injury time.

White was forced to put the ball out of play, with the resulting corner scrambled home by Greaves for his second.

It was an agonising end to the match for Steeton, who put in a fantastic display that pushed the title favourites all the way.

Discussing the match, Steeton manager Roy Mason said: "I'm immensely proud of my players and it was heartbreaking for them to lose it in that manner.

"We didn't get the rub of the green on the big decisions and the penalty was as soft a penalty as you'll see all season.

"Bury will be the team to beat this season without a doubt and for us to push them in the manner we did speaks volumes of the characters we have within our squad."

Steeton are in action again tomorrow night, when they face Golcar United away from home. Kick-off is at 7:45pm.

BY EMMA KENNEDY