ROY Mason’s 600th game as manager of Steeton proved a humbling afternoon at the hands of one of the league favourites, Droylsden.
After only returning one point from the first twelve available this season, the Chevrons will have been looking to turn up in front of a healthy crowd on the road and put a mark down for the remainder of the season.
Instead, it proved anything but as they returned to West Yorkshire with a 6-1 defeat which is the club’s second heaviest since earning promotion to the semi-professional game in 2018.
Making three changes from the derby defeat to Route One Rovers, which saw new signings Dan Illingworth and Josh Debenham both come in for their respective debuts, a change in formation provided optimism for the traveling support.
That optimism was quickly extinguished however as the home side raced into a two-goal lead in the opening ten minutes of the game.
Both goals exploited Steeton’s frailties from set-pieces.
In carbon copies of each other, James Catlow made two outstanding saves to turn goal bound strikes wide for corners.
However, the corners in both instances were turned home from close range by Joel Ankers to break the deadlock before shortly doubling the hosts lead.
Despite the efforts from the visitors to find some form of foothold in the game, it would be the hosts who extended their lead further.
Hitting Steeton on the counter attack, Ankers secured the match ball with just 27 minutes left on the clock as he got through on goal and found the back of the net once more.
Yet, after being on the back foot since the first whistle, the visitors found a small yet unlikely glimmer of hope shortly before the half-time interval.
Debutant Debenham managed to get the wrong side of his man and was felled inside the box leaving the referee no option put to point to the spot.
Kyle Hancock composed himself to slot the penalty home for his first goal since joining the club in the summer from Padiham.
This would be the only high of the afternoon as the second half was all Droylsden.
A trademark Catlow stop early after the restart would only prove a temporary block to the red wave as two goals in three minutes further extended the hosts lead.
Both goals would also come through moments of individual brilliance to further torment Steeton.
Caelan Kilheeney would show a superb piece of skill for the fourth as he flicked the ball over the head of Oliver Kirkpatrick before striking the ball on the volley past Catlow and into the bottom corner.
And just two minutes later, Ben Lowe’s half volley into the air looped over a host of men in yellow and into the top bin much to the adulation of his teammates and supporters alike.
Making all five of the available substitutions, it proved to be a temporary stop to the pressure that the Chevrons found themselves under.
Debenham had a half chance, but it would be the closest the visitors got to finding another consolation strike.
The sixth Droylsden goal would not be far behind, Mauro Mendes breaking down the wing and squaring the ball into the path of Shaq Lewis to smash home from two yards out.
There was a rare moment to saviour late on for Steeton as Catlow made a superb stop to deny Nelson Van from the penalty spot after Mendes was felled under pressure looking to round the keeper.
Thankfully, the final whistle soon followed to end the misery ahead of Monday evening’s visit to face Daisy Hill.
STEETON (Subs): Catlow; M Smith; Kirkpatrick (A Stewart); Illingworth; J Smith; Hancock (Gibbon); Green (Mitchell); Barnes; Debenham; Hudson-Parker (Lynn); Williamson (Gartland)
GOAL (Assist): Hancock 40’ (Debenham)