STEETON bounced back from their FA Vase exit last weekend to claim a comprehensive 3-0 win against Cleator Moor Celtic in the North West Counties Football League First Division North on Saturday.

The visitors, sitting bottom of the table after being deducted three points for failing to fulfil their fixture against Golcar United last month, started well, but a first-half brace from Kayle Price ensured the Chevrons were comfortably in control at the break.

Andy Briggs then added a third for the hosts midway through the second half after finishing a fine team move, ensuring a second consecutive home win and a first clean sheet of the season for Roy Mason’s side.

Cleator had the first chance of the afternoon within five minutes through top-scorer Callum Birdsall, who connected with a cross from the left-wing, but Toby Jeffrey found himself in the right place to provide a crucial block.

The visitors continued to see the better of the play in the opening exchanges, with Steeton perhaps fortunate not to have given away a penalty after Birdsall was felled inside the box.

But it was the hosts who opened the scoring against the run of play in the 20th minute.

Briggs played the ball to Price down the right wing, who weaved past two Cleator defenders before firing a shot towards the near post that was spilled by Craig Devine into the back of the net.

Minutes later, the visitors thought that they had equalised when the ball was poked into the back of the net after a goalmouth scramble, but Steeton’s blushes were spared by the offside flag.

The hosts grew into the game as the half wore on, with Jack Lynn and Jeffrey given freedom to drive forward from full-back in a new 5-3-2 formation.

Price had his second in the 44th minute, latching onto a Mo Farhan Subhani lofted pass before turning a defender and wrong-footing Devine to finish powerfully at the near post.

From the restart, the young forward came close to completing a first-half hat-trick after being played through on goal, only to be denied by a fingertip save from the visiting goalkeeper.

Steeton kept up that first-half momentum, with debutants Joe Snowden and Tom Robinson both coming close to their first senior goals for the club with audacious efforts from the edge of the box.

The Chevrons made sure of the win in the 68th minute with a slick team goal. Farhan Subhani intercepted the ball in the midfield before playing a one-two with Price, whose first-time pass found Briggs in acres of space inside the box to rifle past Devine.

Briggs almost grabbed his second from the restart after being played through on goal, with Devine out well to make the save, before George Bristol denied Brad Tatton a consolation late on to help Steeton to their first clean sheet of the season.

The Chevrons are next in action at Ashton Town on October 2 (kick-off 3pm).