
STEETON extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a comprehensive 5-1 victory away at Skelmersdale United.
Returning to action after an enforced month off, their previous outing coming against the same opposition, the Chevrons showed a clinical side against the side rooted to the foot of the table.
Leaving Roy Mason pleased with the outcome, and the fact the five goals were courtesy of five different scorers, the manager will be hoping for more of the same as his charges head into the business end of the season.
On a brisk afternoon in West Lancashire, the visitors nearly got off to a dream start within the first minute.
Finding space within the Skelmersdale defensive line, Jacob Holgate raced through on goal but was denied by the fingertips of Joe Langford with the ball then cleared as it appeared to be trickling inside the far post.
Steeton then believed they had a penalty as Jake Townsend was brought down inside the area, the official pointing to the spot.
However, this was overturned following a late offside flag being raised by the linesman on the far side.
Langford came to his side’s rescue once more as he turned a strike from Townsend over the crossbar as his goal lived a charmed life, Josh Walne twice hitting the woodwork from set pieces.
The visitors found the breakthrough in the 16th minute.
Jacob Smith’s long ball over the top fell into the path of Townsend.
The winger burned past the hosts right back and fired across goal inside the far post.
This appeared to open the floodgates as a second and third followed within the next ten minutes of action.
Townsend again left the right back in his wake, bursting down the left wing and squaring the ball across the face of goal.
Josh Coe was unmarked and on hand to tap home to record his 10th goal of a productive season for the young forward.
Continuing to turn the screw, a sea of green shirts proved too much to handle for the home team.
Trying to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, the Skelmersdale defence switched off.
Alex Stewart took full advantage and dispossessed the defender, showing great footwork to weave in from the goal line and firing into the back of the net from close range.
Looking to continue the punishment and add to their tally, Steeton pushed forward but Stewart was denied by Langford before two superb last ditch defensive efforts denied first Walne and then Harvey Green.
A fourth goal came for the visitors just three minutes after the restart.
Forcing a corner, Sam Lloyd whipped the ball towards the far post.
Jacob Smith found himself free to head down into the path of his centre half partner Arley Barnes, the Steeton skipper volleying home for his second of the campaign.
Going through the motions with a four-goal advantage, Skelmersdale found a consolation goal with a quarter of the hour left on the clock.
Pushing forward, Jacob Smith went down after appearing to land awkwardly.
Harrison Denton took full advantage of the space left free by the downed defender, freeing himself up to fire past Brad Emmerson from inside the area.
The icing on the cake for Steeton, and Mason, came in the first minute of injury time.
Owen Williamson broke through on goal but saw the ball stolen from his toes by a superb challenge.
Manny Amole, making his second debut from the bench after re-joining the club last month, composed himself to place the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
STEETON (Subs): Emmerson; M Smith; Lloyd; Barnes; J Smith; Holgate; Green (Mitchell); Walne (Amole); Coe; Stewart (Lynn); Townsend (Williamson).
GOALS (Assists): Townsend 16’ (J Smith); Coe 19’ (Townsend); Stewart 26’ (M Smith); Barnes 48’ (J Smith); Amole 90+1’ (Williamson)