Grantham Town 0-1 Steels

12/11/2022Last Updated: 13/11/2022

288 2 minutes read

Stocksbridge Park Steels tasted sweet victory as they held on to beat Grantham Town 1-0.

It was a fairly dull start to the game as both teams looked to feel each other out before really trying to go for it. However the first moment to excite the fans went Stocksbridge’s way. It was a break down the right hand side which allowed Bailey Baker to venture forward and into the box. He delayed the pulling the trigger though, which allowed the eventual shot to be blocked.

The eventual goal was one of Grantham’s own making. The Gingerbreads were unhappy as they believed there was a handball as a long ball caused the Steels problem. The debate over this decision continued as the game did and in the end, the dissent was so much the referee gave a free kick to the Steels. Tomas Poole but the free kick into the box and Elliot Murray got onto it. As he bared down to finish, he was stopped from moving with a shirt pull and the penalty was given. Ify Ofoegbu stepped up and sent Dan Haystead the wrong way to give Stocksbridge the lead.

Stocksbridge really should have been two ahead moments later as well. A poor back pass gave Tomas Poole the ball in the box with acres of space and time to do with it what he pleases. Perhaps it was too much time though, as Poole would not follow up his goals in the Carlton match as he could only put it wide. Poole would get a chance to redeem himself with a free kick, but he could only send that over. This would also end the half with the Steels leading 1-0.

In the second half, the game would change, mostly with Grantham bringing Mitchell Tait on to replace Joe Stacey. This would improve the home side but the Steels still had their chances to finish the game. Poole almost made the most of a slip by Charlie Jemson as he broke into the box but he could only shoot straight at Haystead who palmed the ball away.

Grantham didn’t have a shot on goal in the first half but things did improve for them in the second half. Ashton Hall’s diving header at the far post from a corner wasn’t too far off, while the Steels were almost punished for not clearing a corner but Matt Tootle could only send his shot high and wide.

However, Grantham would soon get a massive chance. The Gingerbreads put a ball into the box but EFL veteran Nathan Tyson went down softly to a push from Baker. The referee thought it was enough for a penalty and so he pointed to the spot. Hall has already netted a few from the spot this season and so he stepped up with a lot of confidence, but Harrison Davison-Hale guessed right and made an impressive save to keep his clean sheet in tact.

This wouldn’t stop Grantham throwing everything at Stocksbridge but the Steels would not bend on this occasion. Tyson headed a corner into the box wide while the returning Sisa Tuntulwana blared a shot over, wasting Grantham’s final foray forward. The Steels would hold on and claim their fourth win in a row.

MOTM: Elliot Murray