Pilkington 1

Steeton 3

STEETON continued their recent run of good form as they sealed progression to the second round of the Macron Cup with a triumph at Pilkington.

The victory sets up an away tie at Garstang in three weeks’ time while also extended Roy Mason’s side's unbeaten streak to four games in all competitions.

Both sides came out firing in an end-to-end start to proceedings but neither could find the killer instinct and break the deadlock.

However, this changed in the 18th minute when Steeton took the lead through Tom Leach, the centre-back heading home from a corner at the second attempt after his initial effort was well saved by Patrick McLoughlin in the Pilkington goal.

From the restart, the Chevrons doubled their advantage immediately as they hit their hosts on the counter attack and after McLoughlin spilt a James Ngoe header onto the post, the ball rolled across the face of goal with Tawonga Gumboh getting the vital touch despite the best efforts of Kayle Price to claim the second as his strike.

Pilkington then began to throw bodies forward as they looked for a route back into the game, but it continued to leave them vulnerable on the counter and Steeton had opportunities to extend their lead further put both Price and Andy Briggs were denied by smart stops.

At the other end of the park, the back four held strong with Alistair Morgan and Leach both clearing crosses and corners with ease with the rare chance that did beat them not proving difficult for Danny Thorpe in goal.

The early stages of the second half was scrappy and resulted in Price and Jake Boyd both being shown yellow cards.

But this proved nothing more that mere inconveniences for Steeton as they found a third goal on the hour mark.

A long ball forward from Morgan was flicked on by Toby Jeffrey into the path of Gumboh on the overlap, the winger then coolly finishing under McLoughlin for his second of the afternoon.

And a fourth nearly followed soon after but Briggs was again denied by the Pilkington stopper.

In truth, a fourth Steeton goal should have come when Gumboh was tripped just inside the area to win a penalty, the winger being denied his hat-trick by a smart double save from the penalty and then the rebound from McLoughlin.

This only came however after the ball was taken from designated taker Ben Clarkson, a decision that left Mason livid on the touchline.

The game then appeared to be petering out towards the end, but Thorpe would be denied a fourth straight clean sheet in comical circumstances.

After a delivery into the Steeton area appeared to bounce up onto the hand of Callum Laird, the entire Chevrons' defence claimed handball as Laird headed the ball into the back of the net.

The shouts were heard by the linesman, who flagged for a handball himself but was overruled by the referee much to the bemusement of those in attendance.