STEETON fell to a third straight defeat at the hands of the league leaders, Nelson.
Into the final month of the season, the Chevvies were unfortunate to not take a point at least on a day in which manager Roy Mason was left proud of the efforts of his players.
Despite having only pride and position to play for over the next five weeks, a resolute defensive effort against the division’s top scorers was only let down by an inability to find the net at the other end.
The opening exchanges of the contest saw Nelson dominate possession as they looked for a quick start to their afternoon.
In the second minute, Brad Emmerson made an outstanding save on his own line to thaw Charlie Frost.
Frost must have been feeling the heat as the striker then went on to turn the ball both over and wide with the net at his mercy on both occasions.
Steeton had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock midway through the half.
Jake Townsend found himself free down the left wing and took possession of the ball and drove to the edge of the Nelson area.
With the visitor’s defence scrambling, he placed his cross low and to the far post.
Josh Coe found himself unmarked but scuffed his effort, to the striker’s own frustrations, wide and into the side netting.
This lit a fire under the opposition as Nelson got back on top in the contest and continued to push for the opener.
Outstanding last-ditch challenges from both Dan Illingworth and Jacob Smith denied the away side but they eventually found the goal in the 36th minute.
A momentary lapse in concentration allowed Jack Burrows to make a marauding run in behind the defensive line from the right back position.
The ball over the top landing at his feet, Burrows controlled the ball before firing across Emmerson and inside the far post.
The second half proved a less end-to-end affair with both sets of players at time going through the motions in a 45-minute period that will not live long in the memory for the 125 in attendance at Marley Stadium.
Jacob Holgate tried his luck from range, but the shot lacked power, and the ball trickled through to the hands of the Nelson keeper.
At the other end, Frost attempted the spectacular but his volley on the turn inside the area went comfortably wide of Emmerson’s far post.
Looking for inspiration and a goal to get back into the arm wrestle, Mason introduced Harvey Green, Owen Williamson, and Josh Walne, from the substitutes bench.
A high foot in an otherwise uneventful affair earned Sam Lloyd a fourth booking of the season as the clock ticked down.
Deep in injury time, Steeton were denied a well-earned equaliser by some heroic goalkeeping and defending.
Townsend broke down the channel and dragged the ball across the face of the Nelson goal.
The cross was dragged back towards the edge of the area and fell at the feet of Green, the midfielder seeing his name in tomorrow’s headlines with the goal at his mercy.
Instead, the midfielder would be denied the leveller, and his first Steeton goal since joining the club last summer, by an outstanding save from the outstretched arm of Chris Thompson in the Nelson goal.
Two blue shirts then put their bodies on the line from the rebound, blocking goal bound efforts from first Alex Stewart and then Holgate.
All in all, it was a performance that gives Steeton plenty to build on ahead of a trip to Ashton Town next weekend.
STEETON (Subs): Emmerson; Illingworth (Walne); Lloyd; Barnes; J Smith; Holgate; Fleming (Green); Stewart; Coe; Debenham (Williamson); Townsend. Subs (Not Used): Mitchell; Lynn.
