STEETON ended their near three month wait for three points in style as they turned league leaders Droylsden over on their own patch.
Winless in ten games prior to the trip to Greater Manchester, manager Roy Mason lauded his players “magnificent” performance as a superb defensive display was complemented by flowing attacks when in possession.
Moving into the top half of the table with victory, the Chevrons will now be looking to push on as November brings with it a favourable run of fixtures against sides below them in the table.
The visitors set their stall early at The Butcher’s Arms, flying out of the traps and asking questions of the Droylsden defence.
Owen Anderson, impressive on debut after joining the Chevvies from Nelson on Friday, set the ball rolling using his defensive abilities to dispossess the opposition and launch his new side on the counter.
Aidan Kirby, Lewis Gartland, and Jodi Tiffany, all had early chances, but Arley Barnes came closest in the early exchanges as his shot creeped just wide of the post.
Droylsden had a chance of their own, the strike straight down the throat of Brad Emmerson, and the Steeton goalkeeper wasted no time in launching the ball up field for the opening goal of the afternoon.
Emmerson’s kick landed at the feet of Gartland on the left channel.
The winger cut inside from the wing, leaving a number of defenders in his wake, before placing the ball across the face of the goal into the path of Josh Coe.
The striker tapped home from six yards for his first goal of the season and put Steeton into a well-deserved lead.
Continuing on the front foot, it wouldn’t take the Chevrons, or Coe, long to double their tally for the afternoon.
In a near carbon copy of the first goal, the ball was worked out wide into the path of Gartland.
The winger again terrorised the Bloods right edge and cut inside to square the ball in front of the onrushing Coe to fire home from close range.
However, from the restart, Steeton switched off and were punished as Droylsden found their way back into the contest.
Harry Forshaw found space down the right and whipped a cross into the box.
Whilst his delivery missed its intended target of Yasir Salim, captain Caelan Kilheeney avoided green shirts to fire past Emmerson and half the deficit.
The second half began with the momentum shifting to the hosts as they began the brighter of the two sides.
They called Emmerson into action, but the Steeton stopper made an outstanding save to deny Nelson Van a leveller as the decibels grew louder around the ground.
Steeton also had a glorious chance of their own as Kirby got through on goal.
The veteran forward rounded the onrushing Jordan Latham, but with an open goal at his mercy could only put his strike from wide of the post agonisingly into the side netting.
But, with twenty minutes to go, Jake Townsend made an immediate impact from the substitutes bench to seal the three points.
Only brought on two minutes prior, Townsend read a poor pass on the halfway line and intercepted the ball.
Breaking free down the left wing, he would work his way inside to the Bloods box and curl the ball inside the near post to spark wild celebrations amongst those associated with the away side.
Now needing two goals, Droylsden began to turn the screw and placed their opposition under real pressure in the games closing stages.
Steeton held on and with it secured a much needed win.
STEETON (Subs): Emmerson; Barnes; Anderson; Chalashika; Shaw; Tiffany; Coe; Kelly; Kirby; Nkem (Holgate); Gartland (Townsend). Subs (Not Used): Khan; Lynn; Thornton.
GOALS (Assist): Coe 28’ (Gartland), 35’ (Gartland); Townsend 70’
