STEETON recorded their first victory of the new campaign with a comfortable home outing against AFC Knowsley.
In need of a response following a disappointing start to the new league campaign, progression through the Preliminary Round provided respite for Roy Mason and his side.
And not only did the result and performance do just that, but it also created some history as the Chevvies chalked up their first ever win in the First Division Cup at the ninth time of asking.
The tone for the afternoon was set from the kick-off as the home side got off to the best possible start in the Marley sunshine.
From the whistle, Steeton forced Knowsley into sending the ball back to the feet of their right back.
Alfie Dowden pressed superbly well to force the turnover of possession and pushed the ball into the path of Josh Coe.
The striker looked up and lashed an outstanding effort into the top corner from 25 yards out to break the deadlock with just sixteen seconds on the clock.
Now brimming with confidence, a wave of green continued to push forward for a second goal with a Coe header being denied by Liam Sergent in the Knowsley goal before a shot from range went inches over the crossbar.
Shortly after the midway point of the first half, the Chevrons doubled their lead.
Dowden whipped a corner into the box and the initial cleared header fell to the feet of Macca Smith who saw his strike blocked.
This in turn caused a goalmouth scramble in which a Knowsley defender’s attempted hoofed clearance struck his own teammate in the face.
The ball fell into the path of Nathan Storton to fire home from close range to register his first goal for the club following his summer move from Oxenhope.
However, the visitors responded almost immediately to reduce the deficit back to one goal.
From a goal kick, they took advantage of the highline being played by the Steeton backline to play a long ball in behind the defence.
Leon Arnasalam took hold of possession and despite being forced wide by Smith, managed to get his shot off across Oliver Gollcher and inside the far post.
And they nearly levelled shortly before the break as an effort from James Anderson went just wide of the uprights.
Steeton started the second half as brightly as the first and were rewarded with the final goal of the contest just three minutes after the restart.
Smith delivered a free-kick from just inside his own half into the area.
Keann Shaw found himself unmarked and cushioned his free header back across the face of goal where Coe was on hand to turn home his second of the afternoon.
Continuing to push forward, a deflected header wide denied Coe his hat-trick.
With the game then beginning to peter out towards a solemn finish after an action packed opening hour, Arnasalam was denied his second of the afternoon with Gollcher making a fine save to turn his effort away from goal.
The home side also had a final opportunity to record their fourth goal with ten minutes left on the clock as a loose ball at the back found its way to a man in green.
Sergent though was on hand to frustrate the Chevrons as he got down low to turn the strike wide for a corner.
Then in injury time, Knowsley’s attempts to set-up a grandstand finish were denied as Arnasalam’s strike struck the woodwork.
Steeton will now travel to face Squires Gate in the First Round of the competition in early October.
STEETON (Subs): Gollcher; M Smith; Asamoah (Terrelonge-Jones); Storton (Aremu); Shaw; Spence; Darko; Salah (Mullins); Coe (Foley); Abbas (Bishop); Dowden.
GOALS (Assists): Coe 1’ (Dowden), 48’ (Shaw); Storton 25’
