Steeton 2

Seaham Red Star 3

STEETON bowed out of the FA Vase at the second qualifying round stage despite a valiant second half display, but ultimately they had paid the price in the first period as Seaham raced into a 3-1 lead.

The opening exchanges saw Seaham apply most of the pressure, with Steeton goalkeeper Danny Thorpe having to deal quite comfortably with a couple of long range shots.

The visitors took the lead in the 16th minute when Dan Wilson knocked down a long ball for Michael Chilton, who took a touch, turned and curled it round a couple of defenders and in between the right post and Thorpe diving to his left.

Three minutes later Andy Briggs put a weak header straight at Red Star 'keeper Chris Bannon.

He made amends a minute later when Red Star failed to clear the ball from their box. He picked up the loose ball and scored, despite Bannon getting a hand to it.

Steeton were now starting to get a foothold in the game and debutant Jez Milambo and Tawonga Gumboh were looking a threat for the Chevrons as their pace and trickery troubled the home side.

But it was Briggs’ opposite number, David Robinson, who re-established Red Star’s lead in the 28th minute when he moved the ball across the edge of the box and hit the target, with Thorpe rooted to the spot.

In the 30th minute Thorpe was able get a hand to another Robinson shot, this time from outside the box, to push the ball out for a corner.

The visitors extended their lead seconds later when Chilton made it 3-1 with a well-timed run and header past Thorpe inside the right-hand post.

They should have made it 4-1 on the stroke of half-time, but Liam Gillhesphey hit a first time shot into the ground, bouncing the ball over the bar.

Steeton came out in the second period and looked a different side and Kayle Price went close with a strike and Gumboh struck a shot from the edge of the box which just flew over the bar.

Seaham's Anthony Myers was guilty of a dreadful back pass, letting Steeton left winger Jez Milambo in.

He dribbled round a couple of Red Star players, kept his composure and scored from the edge of the six-yard box. It was just reward for Mialmbo who troubled the Seaham defence all day.

Things then got even worse for the visitors in the 21st minute of the half when Robinson was sent off for a foul on Scott Stein, a foul that sparked a mass confrontation between the teams.

The incident fuelled bad feeling between the players for the rest of the game.

The sending off gave Steeton every encouragement to have a go and press for an equaliser. Milambo sent over a corner that Bannon did well to tip over the bar under pressure from Steve Pearson.

Milambo then had another chance in the 78th minute when one-on-one with Bannon, but he hit a shot tamely at the keeper.

The momentum had swung Steeton’s way and they continued to attack, with Red Star resorting to booting the ball clear, giving possession straight back to the hosts.

Relief for Red Star only came in the 90th minute when Briggs was sent off for a second yellow when it looked as if it was Gomboh who was the guilty party and not Briggs.

Steeton can take heart from a spirited second half performance against a team playing their football at step five of the pyramid and if they can show this kind of grit and determination over the next few weeks then they will soon start to kick-start their season. They are back in action this Thursday night when they face a trip to St Helens.

Steeton: Thorpe, Goodall (Jeffrey), Scott, Morgan, Pearson, Hird, Gumboh (Maney), Stein, Clarkson (Price), Briggs, Milambo