Steeton 4 DRAM Community FC 0

STEETON made up for dropped points in midweek by putting four past DRAM and keeping a clean sheet last Saturday.

The visitors started the day at the bottom of the table but their early attacking play belied their lowly position, going close several times, with one effort spectacularly turned over the bar by keeper Wayne Mahomet.

Steeton took the lead in the 21st minute when Josh Ferguson, making his first start of the season, found Michael Rhodes unmarked in the six-yard box. The skipper, playing in the unfamiliar role of right midfield, coolly slotted home.

On the half-hour mark Steeton centre back Sam Rooke was unlucky to see a powerful header rebound off the bar and striker Lee Reilly was twice denied by the excellent visiting goalkeeper.

DRAM – which is short for Dalton, Rawthorpe and Moldgreen – almost equalised after 37 minutes when they sprang the offside trap but the rasping shot from their number 11 scraped the outside of the post.

Soon after, the same player dispossessed Mahomet as he was about to clear but after a scramble the Steeton keeper was able to fall on the ball before clearing.

In the last minute of the half, a yellow card was shown for a late challenge to Steeton midfielder Reece Fowler, who was making his first start for the club and who gave an excellent performance.

Steeton were grateful to Mahomet for two excellent early saves in the second half before they doubled the lead thanks to a Lee Reilly penalty after the striker had been brought down.

Steeton became increasingly dominant and the visitors seemed happy to concentrate on avoiding another heavy defeat, having shipped 16 goals in their previous four games.

The pressure finally told in the 80th minute when a Ferguson corner was met by Rooke, whose powerful header struck a defender before falling into the net.

A minute later substitute Jack Morrall, who had replaced Sam Fox earlier in the half, was unlucky to see a fierce drive pushed onto the bar by the goalkeeper.

The fourth goal of the game came eight minutes from time when a fine cross by Rhodes was met by Reilly for his fifth of the season. Only superb keeping prevented Reilly from completing his hat-trick in the 85th minute.

DRAM almost grabbed a consolation when Mahomet was finally beaten but found himself well protected by Rooke, who cleared off the line.

This was an excellent performance by Steeton, whose victory moved them into fourth place in the table with ten points from five games.

On Saturday, they visit Huddersfield YMCA.

Steeton: Mahomet, Mason, Morgan, K Fox, Rooke, Hird, Rhodes, S Fox (Morrall), Reilly, Fowler, Ferguson (S Sowerbutts).