West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division: Steeton 2 Lower Hopton 3
STEETON let a two-goal lead slip as Lower Hopton registered their first victory of the season in an entertaining game.
The hosts went close early when an effort from Kyle Fox just cleared the bar before team-mate Lee Thompson opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a fierce drive after the ball had been cut back.
Visiting striker Matthew Bugg went close to equalising after 22 minutes when his looping header clipped the bar and 11 minutes later a long-range shot was pushed on to the post and out for a corner by Steeton goalkeeper Wayne Mahomet.
The Chevrons lead was increased after 40 minutes when a free-kick from the left was nodded home by Andy Holden. But the visitors pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when Bugg headed home a cross from the left.
As is often the case, a goal just before the interval boosted morale and Hopton's Nathan James equalised after 49 minutes with a curling shot from the edge of the area.
Only a minute later the same player took advantage of a defensive mix-up and scored what turned out to be the winner. In an effort to gain parity, manager Roy Mason introduced substitutes Alex Yates, Jonson Butterfield and Ben Clarkson but the hosts could not find the target despite a number of corners and free-kicks in the dying minutes.
Steeton were forced to finish the game with ten men after Yates had to leave the field with a leg injury.
Steeton: Mahomet, Mason (Yates), Hunter, Morgan, Fox, Hird, Holden, Thompson, Reilly (Butterfield), Richardson (Clarkson), Sowerbutts.
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