Steeton 2 Golcar United 1

ROY Mason was absolutely delighted as his Steeton side finished off what had been a disappointing week with a deserved win over Golcar in North West Counties League Division One North.

Steeton were much improved after 8-0 and 5-0 defeats previously, and started the better of the sides, however, it was the visitors with the first chance of the game when Michael Fish’s seemingly innocuous run resulted in a spectacular 30-yard effort that smacked against the bar.

The home side impressed through the half, with Dan Stocker’s last-ditch tackle preventing Tawonga Gumboh from opening the scoring after 25 minutes.

Kayle Price’s volley crashed against the crossbar, leaving the crowd in disbelief as to how he missed from such close range.

The last action before the break saw Price’s cross almost diverted into his own net by Ben Burnett, many spectators were left wondering how this was still goalless.

It took just two minutes for Steeton to break the deadlock after the break, with Andy Briggs weaving past defenders on the right flank before cutting inside and firing an angled shot that deflected in off the post.

Visiting goalkeeper Harry Stead had no chance, with the hosts taking a deserved lead.

Defender Stevie Pearson limped off the pitch with a hamstring injury after a collision in the box, with Mason describing his performance as magnificent as he won every tackle and every header.

Ben Clarkson nearly scored with his first touch after being put through on goal, only for Stead to produce the save of the match to tip it over the bar.

The second half was even, with Danny Thorpe out of his goal quickly to deny the onrushing Josh Lang from levelling the score.

However, he was powerless to stop the equaliser when Max Leonard’s knockdown fell at the feet of Fish, who converted the pick of the goals with a sublime first-time shot into the top corner.

Momentum was soon with Golcar, who could have added a second two minutes later but Leonard’s header could only find the post.

Steeton snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the 82nd minute when Toby Jeffery once again beat Burnett down the right, before delivering a pinpoint cross onto the head of Clarkson whose header was powered into the back of the net.

The Chevrons’ lead seemed fragile, with Golcar powering forward at every opportunity.

But it was Steeton’s day, with Alex Hallam wasting the visitors’ best chance at an equaliser when his header sailed over the bar.

An excellent finish to a testing week for Steeton, with an excellent performance seeing them claim their first league win since October 19.

Mason was encouraged by his side’s performance. He said: “Everybody played really well. I thought we played with a lot more intensity today, we moved the ball a lot quicker.

“I think the players stood up and they battled, they scrapped for everything.

“Every game at this level is really tough, we’ve got to be on it.

“There’s not much difference between all the teams in this league and everybody is capable of beating everybody.”

Steeton: Thorpe, Nimi, Marsh, Boyd, Pearson (Carter 54), Hird, Gumboh (Clarkson 68), Preston, Price (Scott 84), Briggs, Jeffrey. Unused substitutes: Armitage, Davis

Golcar United: Stead, Stocker, Burnett (Newiss 81), Tunnacliffe, Conway, Tayo, Storr (Lang 63), Moorhouse (Igelski 63), Fish, Leonard, Hallam. Unused substitutes: Cox, Kettlewell