STEETON ended their eight-game losing streak in style as they sealed progression to the Second Round of this season’s Macron Cup.
Without a win since Bank Holiday Monday in August and looking for a response to Saturday’s humiliation at the hands of Maghull in the league, Roy Mason’s side turned in their best performance of the season.
And in return for their showing, they stunned Premier Division outfit Squires Gate with a professional and disciplined 4-2 victory to secure a home tie against either Darwen or Nelson.
The game began on an even keel, the best opportunities going the way of the home side with Arley Barnes twice having to block on the line to keep Squires at bay.
Midway through the half, the visitors first broke the deadlock before doubling their lead in the space of just four minutes.
Working the ball to the far right of the Gate box, Josh Debenham looked to turn his man and was tripped inside the area.
Picking himself up of the floor, Debenham composed himself to rifle the penalty into the roof the goal and break the deadlock.
Three minutes later, Josh Coe made it two for the men in green as he finished superbly from a tight angle after being put through on goal from an audacious heel flick courtesy of Harvey Green.
Gate did fire a chance just inches wide of the near post before a Steeton corner led to the two sets of players almost coming to blows as Coe and Jacob Smith both challenged the Gate keeper.
The third goal came through the individual genius of Lewis Gartland as the winger found space down the channel to whip a ball into a dangerous area.
The delivery came off the mid-section of Chris Webster and past the stranded Ali Ramadhan in the Gate goal.
However, the home side found hope from the restart as they immediately reduced the deficit back to two goals as Liam Birchall fired inside the near post of James Catlow just before the half-time interval.
The grandstand finish, and pressure, was truly on for the visitors through a moment of individual genius that brought the home side within one goal.
Winning a free-kick a good forty yards out, Rowan Chambers lined up the shot.
In a Ronaldo-esque effort, the Squires skipper managed to get the ball to dip inside Catlow’s far post and make it very much squeaky bum time on the Fylde coast.
The Chevrons responded almost immediately as Gartland bared down on goal, but an outstanding save from Ramdhan kept the winger at bay.
Meanwhile at the other, the home side squandered a free header inside the area as they put it high and wide.
With just under a minute remaining of normal time, Steeton found that fourth goal to end the game as a contest and seal progression into the next round.
Gartland broke free down the left wing and made a run towards the Gate box.
His cross was put towards the outstretched foot of Debenham, forcing Ramadhan to come out of his goal and turn the ball away.
Alas the keeper could only push it into the path of Alex Stewart, the sub scrambling home at the far post to spark scenes of wild jubilation amongst the away support.
Further scenes almost followed in injury time but Ramadhan this time managed to turn a Nicky McNally strike around his near post.
It proved to be the perfect end to an emotional day for the club as much loved volunteer and support Steven Foster was laid to rest in the afternoon.
STEETON (Subs): Catlow; M Smith; Lloyd (Lynn); Barnes; J Smith; Holgate; Green; Gartland; Coe (McNally); Debenham; Townsend (A Stewart). Subs (Not Used): Kelly; Prata.
GOALS (Assists): Debenham 21’ (Debenham); Coe 24’ (Green); Own Goal 42’ (Gartland); A Stewart 89’ (Gartland)