Sheffield 1-2 Steels
An early flurry of goals was enough for Stocksbridge Park Steels to take the three points from Sheffield FC.
Stocksbridge have had some good starts but this one was probably the best yet. Good play opened up space for Jack Haslam in the box and he had his shot. Myles Wright appeared to save it but he didn’t get enough on it and the ball would end up in the back of the net.
A few minutes later, Stocksbridge were 2-0 up. Again, it was a scrappy one with Sheffield failing to clear his line. Joao Silva played the ball into the middle where Reece Fielding touched it almost into his own net, but Alex Hardwick made sure it was in back slide tackling the ball over the line.
And it could have been three. Hardwick got on the right side of his man through a long ball forward and charged forward, only to be hauled down by Wright in the box. The striker looked to score his second penalty in two games, but Wright guessed the correct way and was able to prevent Hardwick extending the lead.
This seemed to turn the game Sheffield’s way, and they would be able to halve the deficit. Jack Dolman, a former Steel, burst down the left hand side and was able to play the ball into the middle. Luke Aldrich got onto the ball at the near post and slammed the ball home, haunting his former manager Ian Richards who he worked with at Penistone Church.
In the second half, Sheffield FC had an instant chance to equaliser. A push from Jack Tinker in the box was punished and a penalty was given. Former Steel Luke Mangham stepped up but his penalty was very similar to Hardwick’s in the first half and with a similar result, with Harry Garman making a brilliant save to keep Stocksbridge ahead.
While the Steels did have their own opportunities and were able to slow the game down in the second half, the end of the game would see an all-out assault on the Steels goal. Another former Steel Jack Watson had two big chances, but would hit them both wide. Fielding also headed just wide. Alfie Smith had the last big chance with his far post header but Garman made another big save, sealing the three points for Stocksbridge.
