Steeton AFC v Ashton Town

Recap

STEETON registered their first point of the new campaign thanks to a dramatic late equaliser against Ashton Town.

In a pulsating end-to-end encounter on a glorious summers day at Marley, last season’s defeated play-off finalists took the lead before the Chevrons snatched a point with only a minute left on the clock.

And it is a much-needed point for Roy Mason and his side to not only move them from the foot of the early table but gives them so much needed momentum ahead of the season’s first Marley Derby.

In the early exchanges, the visitors had the better of the chances.

After forcing an early save from James Catlow, two superb pieces of recovering defence from first Alfie Gibbon and then his centre half partner Jacob Smith denied Carl Peers as the striker looked for the breakthrough.

Steeton would create chances of their own, the first seeing an Owen Williamson header going just wide of the far post.

A Williamson flick-on then almost saw the deadlock broken by the Chevrons in sensational circumstances.

Lewis Gartland would produce a sensational piece of skill on the turn to get through two defenders before hitting the ball on the volley.

However, the strike went just wide of the far post much to the agony of the home support.

It had a feeling of déjà vu to last season as Steeton could not find the back of the net.

Shortly before half-time, Jake Townsend tried his luck from range with a sensational strike that was denied by an equally as brilliant save from Jake Parsisson between the visitors posts.

The breakthrough finally came in the 68^th minute throw a moment of individual brilliance.

With Town passing the ball around the edge of the Steeton area, Taylor Prescott seized an opportunity to flick up the ball and volley it into the top bin from 20 yards.

Heroics prevented a second goal for the visitors.

Momentum behind them from the opening goal, Ashton continued to pressure the Steeton goal.

However, they would be denied by an outstanding double save from Catlow as the Chevrons number one kept his side in the contest.

At the opposite end, Parsisson produced another sensational save to tip a goal bound effort from Townsend over the crossbar and away for a corner.

With time running out, the home side found the leveller much to the home supporters delight.

Winning a free kick in a dangerous position, Townsend whipped the ball towards the far post where it was met by the head of Adam Hartley.

Despite the best efforts of the Ashton centre half to handle the ball off his own line, the power of the header was enough to get the ball over the line.

And in truth, the Chevrons should have won the game.

Another whipped ball towards the far post, this time by Macca Smith, was flicked back towards goal by Williamson.

Jamal Stewart however saw his shot go agonisingly wide and not the back of the net.

STEETON (Subs): Catlow; M Smith; A Stewart; Gibbon; J Smith; Hancock (Hartley); Lynn (Hudson-Parker); Barnes (Mitchell); Williamson; Gartland (J Stewart); Townsend. Sub (Not Used): Cunningham.

GOAL (Assist): Hartley 89’ (Townsend)