Steeton stun Squires Gate to go through in Macron Cup

Without a win since Bank Holiday Monday in August and looking for a response to Saturday’s 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Maghull in the North West Counties Football League First Division North, Roy Mason’s side turned in their best performance of the season.

And in return for their showing, they stunned NWCFL Premier Division outfit Squires Gate with a professional and disciplined 4-2 victory.

The game began on an even keel, the best opportunities going the way of the home side with Arley Barnes twice having to block on the line to keep Squires at bay.

Midway through the half, the visitors broke the deadlock then doubled their lead in the space of just four minutes.

Working the ball to the far right of the Gate box, Josh Debenham looked to turn his man and was tripped inside the area.

Picking himself up of the floor, Debenham composed himself to rifle the penalty into the roof the net to open the scoring.

Three minutes later, Josh Coe made it two for the men in green as he finished superbly from a tight angle after being put through on goal from an audacious heel flick by Harvey Green.

Josh Coe (9) scores last night to double Steeton's lead at Squires Gate. (Image: Ian Meachin.)

Gate did fire a chance just inches wide of the near post before a Steeton corner led to the two sets of players almost coming to blows, as Coe and Jacob Smith both challenged the Gate keeper.

The third goal came through the individual genius of man-of-the-match Lewis Gartland, the winger finding space down the channel to whip a ball into a dangerous area.

The delivery came off Gate’s Chris Webster and past stranded keeper Ali Ramadhan for an own goal.

However, the home side found hope from the restart as they immediately reduced the deficit back to two goals, Liam Birchall firing the ball inside the near post of James Catlow just before the half-time interval.

The grandstand finish, and pressure, was truly on for the visitors through a moment of individual genius that brought the home side within one goal.

Winning a free-kick a good 40 yards out, Rowan Chambers lined up the shot.

The Squires skipper managed to get the ball to dip inside Catlow’s far post and make things very tense for the visitors on the Fylde coast.

The Chevrons responded almost immediately as Gartland got through on goal, but an outstanding save from Ramdhan kept the winger at bay.

Meanwhile at the other end, the home side squandered a free header inside the area as they put it high and wide.

With just under a minute remaining of normal time, Steeton found that fourth goal to end the game as a contest.

Gartland broke free down the left wing and made a run towards the Gate box.

He crossed towards the outstretched foot of Debenham, forcing Ramadhan to come out of his goal and turn the ball away.

But the keeper could only push it into the path of Alex Stewart, the substitute scrambling home at the far post to spark scenes of wild jubilation among the away support.

Steeton almost grabbed a fifth goal in injury time but Ramadhan managed to turn a Nicky McNally strike around his near post.

It proved to be the perfect end to an emotional day for the club as much-loved volunteer and supporter Steven Foster was laid to rest in the afternoon.