Steeton 3 Golcar Utd 2

STEETON put behind them the disappointment of losing a 5-1 lead and drawing 6-6 with Salts in their previous game and came away with all three points against a strong Golcar side who started the day in fourth spot in the West Riding County Amateur Premier Division table, one place and one point below their hosts.

Steeton were without the injured Toby Jeffrey and Jonah Smith, who was given a place on the bench.

Joe Park came in at the back and had a superb game alongside Steve Pearson and Matty Wilson.

Golcar started well with some slick passing and almost took the lead with a vicious effort from 20 yards after nine minutes but the ball just cleared the crossbar.

Andy Briggs almost put Steeton ahead but saw his shot flash wide of the mark.

Golcar took the lead after 17 minutes when a fine cross from the left was headed home.

Three minutes later their tally was almost doubled when a long distance effort smashed against the crossbar.

Steeton pressed forward well with some neat passing from Andy Holden, and the battling Josh Eastwood and Tim Hird in midfield and their persistence paid off when Ben Richardson floated across a corner kick which Ben Clarkson sent home with a glancing header to notch up his 22nd goal of the season. Parity lasted only two minutes, however, when a shot from outside the penalty area was blocked by Park who threw himself bravely at the ball.

While Golcar players howled for a penalty claiming Park had handled the ball, their number 11 played to the whistle and rammed it home.

Three minutes into the second half an equaliser almost came when left wing-back Scott put over a superb cross which a retreating defender turned against an upright.

The hosts nearly went a further goal down but had goalkeeper Joe Mash to thank as he made a spectacular save to keep the score at 2-1.

After 66 minutes Clarkson had to leave the field after sustaining an injury and was replaced by Alex Yates.

Another chance to equalise came on 74 minutes following a Steeton corner but the ball was bundled off the line and Pearson's attempt to follow up hit the upright.

Steeton were attacking relentlessly and were unlucky not to score when Briggs saw a spectacular diving header go just wide of the goal.

With time running out Steeton manager brought on two substitutes with Jonah Smith and Alistair Morgan replacing Hird and Richardson and decided to push centre back Pearson into the attack.

The equaliser for which the hosts had battled so hard came in spectacular style after 85 minutes when Eastwood received the ball about 35 yards from goal.

He looked up and saw that the Golcar goalkeeper was well off his line and chanced his arm from distance with a chip which crept in just under the crossbar allowing him to register his first goal for the club. The last few minutes of the game were frenetic as both sides went all out to find a winner and it was the hosts who were successful when, with three minutes remaining, a superb flick from Yates put Briggs through with just the goalkeeper to beat. The striker made no mistake in ensuring that Steeton gained all three points with his 29th goal of the season.

Steeton: Mash, Wilson, Scott, Hird (J Smith) Pearson, Eastwood, Holden, Park, Clarkson (Yates), Briggs, Richardson (Morgan).