STEETON extended their unbeaten strike to three matches with a pulsating 3-3 draw at home to Bacup Borough.
On an evening filled with goals, talking points, and controversy, the Chevrons turned round a two-goal deficit to snatch a point courtesy of an equaliser from the penalty spot in the 94th minute.
And on the back of more injury time drama, it continues to build the newfound feel-good factor around Marley Stadium heading into a busy bank holiday weekend which sees Roy Mason’s side play twice in the space of 48 hours.
The opening exchanges of the game were mostly dominated by the visitors as they came flying out of the traps, but bar one trademark save from James Catlow struggled to find a breakthrough.
The breakthrough would soon follow, Steeton breaking the deadlock completely against the run of play.
Alex Stewart forced Josh Brooks in the Borough goal to turn his strike away from the corner.
The resulting delivery saw Jake Townsend whip the ball towards the near post where Ollie Kirkpatrick was on hand to rise through the air and head home.
The lead though would last all of less than a minute.
From the restart, Bacup caught the Chevrons defence cold, and Kyle Siddle took full advantage to get through on goal and round Catlow for an immediate equaliser.
Both sides looked to find the lead heading into the half-time interval, however despite their respective efforts nothing of threat would take place before the break.
Steeton though were temporarily reduced to ten on the brink of the half as Emerson Mitchell was sin-binned for airing his frustrations at an offside decision against Josh Debenham.
After surviving an early onslaught, the home side soon found themselves two goals behind as Bacup turned the screw after their bright start to the half.
The goal that put the visitors into the lead came through poor decision making at the back from those in green.
Trying to play their way out of trouble from the back, the ball was passed directly into the path of Ben Thompson.
The midfielder wasted no time firing a first time shot low past Catlow into the bottom corner.
Steeton then again found themselves a man light for ten minutes as Kyle Hancock was instructed to take a ten-minute breather for voicing his frustrations.
And the men from across the Pennines made the most of their man advantage immediately to extend their lead further.
Working the ball out to the right-hand side of the box, Oliver Hodgson fired across Catlow and inside the far post.
Steeton though responded immediately similar to how Bacup had done in the first half.
Townsend drove forward down the left channel and saw his cross knocked out of play for a corner.
Following a brief delay, the home side got back into the contest in sensational fashion.
Alex Stewart whipped his corner towards the far post and managed to bend the ball just inside the post above the outstretched arms of Brooks to bring his side within one.
Continuing to push for the equaliser, Bacup defended heroically but would give their opponents a share of the spoils on a plate in the fourth minute of injury time.
Steeton pumped one last ball into the box as they sought a leveller with the seconds ticking away.
An away defender swiped for the ball but missed and took the ankles of Josh Coe, the referee wasting no time to point towards the penalty spot.
Coe picked himself up off the deck to slot the penalty home to the keepers right into the bottom corner.
STEETON (Subs): Catlow; Barnes; Gibbon; Kirkpatrick; Illingworth; Mitchell (Lynn); Green; J Smith (Hancock); Debenham (Coe); A Stewart; Townsend. Subs (Not Used): Gartland; Hartley.
GOALS (Assists): Kirkpatrick 24’ (Townsend); A Stewart 78’ (Townsend); Coe 90+4’ (Coe)
