Squires Gate v Steeton AFC

Recap

STEETON progressed to the Second Round of the First Division Cup with victory away at Squires Gate.

After a first-half with little to report on, the visitors responded well to falling behind to turn the game and result around.

Manager Roy Mason was quick to praise the attitude of his players as they look to build on this win ahead of next Tuesday’s return to league action.

And it also marked a second victory away at Squires Gate in six weeks for the Chevvies after their comprehensive league win at the same venue in August.

The first half was low on quality as both sides struggled to adapt to the wet and windy conditions on the Fylde coast.

Steeton had an early opportunity through Joe Edmonds, the midfielder’s strike going straight at the Gate keeper.

At the other end, the hosts had an opportunity of their own but were denied by a last ditch challenge from Emerson Mitchell.

The home side then had another opportunity shortly before half-time as they found their way through on goal, this time an interception from Nathan Storton preventing Gate from breaking the deadlock.

On the interval, Steeton had a chance of their own to find the evening’s opening goal as the ball found Andy Briggs but the striker’s effort was blocked and the cleared by a Squires defender.

All the action, and goals, came during the second half as the game sprung into life.

Steeton though started sluggish and were punished just six minutes after the restart as a cross from the left into the box was headed home by Will Squires from close range.

Now in the lead, the home side pushed to double their lead to get a firm grip on the game.

But they were both denied and frustrated by Brad Emmerson, the Chevrons goalkeeper making a double save that his manager would claim sparked the comeback that resulted in progression.

The equaliser came shortly after the hour mark.

Nathan Storton sent a long ball down the left channel into the path of Alfie Dowden.

Cutting in from the left, Dowden’s cross-cum-shot sneaked inside the near post to level up the scoreboard and give the left-back his first goal for the club.

Back in the contest, Steeton would take the initiative and soon had the lead under the floodlights.

Fermin Fernandez, on his first start, broke down the right channel and crossed into the box.

The initial delivery was blocked with Edmonds sending the ball back to Fernandez.

The Spaniard’s second cross was half cleared into the path of Josh Coe, the striker hitting the ball first time from the edge of the box.

Despite now being in the lead, there was little threat of a third for the visitors and even less of a threat from the hosts for an equaliser.

Then in injury time, Steeton put the result beyond doubt as they grabbed their third goal on the night.

The visitors put a ball into the box looking for the head of Briggs inside the area.

For some reason only known to those in blue, Gate tried to walk the ball out of the box as they looked for some kind of counter.

Fernandez dispossessed the defender on the edge of the box before taking a touch and firing in his first Steeton goal since arriving last month from Silsden.

After recording no victories in their previous eight seasons in this competition, the Chevrons now have two in this campaign.

The Second Round will take place on Saturday 14th November with the opposition to be confirmed in due course.

STEETON (Subs): Emmerson; Alasttal; Dowden (Burrows); Barnes; Storton; Spence (Mulvihill-Simpson); Edmonds; Mitchell (Fernandez); Coe (Terrelonge); Gonzalez (Longley); Briggs

GOALS (Assist): Dowden 61’ (Storton); Coe 69’ (Fernandez); Fernandez 90+1’