Steeton 2 Kirkburton 1

Steeton recorded their second home league win of the season to leapfrog their Huddersfield visitors into ninth place.

They got off to a cracking start when, with less than five minutes on the clock, leading scorer Lee Reilly nodded home a Mark McGee corner.

McGee's direct approach play on the left wing, which is fast becoming a feature of Steeton's game, led to further chances for Andy Holden, whose shot went inches over, and Graham Holmes, whose spectacular overhead effort brought an equally spectacular save.

Kirkburton strove hard to find an equaliser but found centre backs Arley Barnes and Matty Kershaw a solid barrier. Even when they were breached, the visitors were thwarted by keeper Josh Brooksbank, who gave his best performance since joining the club.

In the 23rd minute he made three superb blocks consecutively before holding on to what was probably the hardest shot of the game.

The second half began as the first had ended, with Brooksbank being alert to deal with a header from an early corner.

After 50 minutes the hosts had a superb opportunity to double their lead when an accurate cross from Ryan Cox found Reilly with only the goalkeeper to beat. The striker put the ball over his head but it also cleared the crossbar by some margin.

Reilly was having a torrid time in front of goal and his luck did not change when he blasted a penalty over the bar after Holmes had been bundled over.

This gave a whiff of encouragement to Kirkburton as a rasping shot again brought out the best of Brooksbank's skills as he pushed a goalbound effort around the post. The resulting corner eluded everyone and struck the far post before landing in the net to make it 1-1.

Kirkburton pushed for a second but left themselves exposed to the counter-attack. Reilly latched on to a good through-ball from Tim Hird and, having beaten the offside trap, looked odds-on to score but again his effort went high of the mark.

Joe Park and McGee combined well on the left and the full back's low cross was fumbled by the keeper. In the scramble which followed, Holmes bundled the ball over the line. Kirkburton attacked to the very end but the Chevrons held on for victory.

Steeton boss Roy Mason said: "It was a tough game against a vastly-improved Kirkburton side.

"We showed a lot of grit and determination to see the job through which was pleasing."

Steeton: Brooksbank, Rhodes, Park, Kershaw, Barnes, Cox (Rooke), Holden, Hird, Reilly (Sessford) Holmes, McGee (Sutcliffe).