Steeton 2 Avro 3

STEETON’S FA Vase aspirations came tumbling down at the first round stage after a second-half collapse against a spirited Avro side.

Despite taking a two-goal lead into the half-time interval, the Chevrons never got out of the gates in the second period, leaving manager Roy Mason fuming that his side had “thrown it away” after Avro’s 90th-minute winner saw them progress.

The visitors had the game’s first real chance in the opening seconds but Ryan Hanson side-footed his effort wide of the post.

Steeton broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when Andy Briggs forced a corner from a Joe Mason through-ball. The resulting corner saw Briggs turn the ball home from close range after his initial header had hit the crossbar, but only after a period of confusion. The linesman ruled the number nine had fouled the Avro keeper in the build-up but was overruled by the referee who thought there was no push.

The Chevrons immediately doubled their advantage from an Alistair Morgan free-kick into the box. Aaron Hollindrake took the ball from the edge of the area and cut inside three defenders before slotting home past the keeper.

Avro then began to chase the game and create a number of chances but lacked that clinical edge, with the best chances coming through Joe Bevan, who blazed high and wide, and Hanson who saw his effort trickle comfortably into the gloves of Alfie Stevens-Neal before hitting the bar with a header.

Half-time came at the wrong time for the home side as they were on the back foot for the whole of the second period.

It was nearly a disastrous start when Morgan’s header back towards his own goal beat Stevens-Neal but thankfully also the far post.

Avro then had a penalty shout for handball waved away before getting the foothold they were looking for through Duncan Knott, who beat Stevens-Neal with a sensational curling effort from 30 yards.

They then nearly got the equaliser straight from the restart but Michael Stockdale’s effort was blocked by a sea of green bodies.

The onslaught continued and Steeton held out well, but Knott then levelled for the Oldham-based Avro when after his initial effort was spilt by Stevens-Neal, he beat Joe Mason to the loose ball to tuck home from just yards out.

Steeton had a chance to win the game but a last-ditch clearance prevented Briggs’ squared ball reaching the feet of the unmarked Hollindrake.

But the theme of the second half continued and provided the winner from an Avro free-kick.

Daniel Grimshaw, with a routine straight off the training ground, played the ball around the wall to Joe Bevan, who tucked home under the diving Stevens-Neal.