Steels 0-1 Bishop Auckland

Stocksbridge Park Steels were left blunted at home again as Bishop Auckland came to Bracken Moor and got the win.

To be truthful, it was a poor quality game where neither side looked like hooking up many passes consecutively. Many in the stands may have thought a better standard might have been had in the original fixture that was called off for high winds!

However, it only takes the odd moment of quality for a goal to happen and that’s what transpired. Bishop Auckland played the ball forward and it caught out the Steels defence trying to play an offside trap. Gary Martin got onto the ball and lobbed the onrushing Ben Townsend to give the visitors the lead.

Stocksbridge did have a few moments at the other end which may have lead to goals on a better day. Jack Dolman did have the ball in the back of the net after a well-done move but it was ruled out for offside. Silas Valladolid-Collins, making his first start for the club, managed to get a shot off a bouncing ball but he couldn’t keep it on side.

In the second half, there wasn’t much change. Neither team showed much attacking quality and it wasn’t one to entice the neutrals. When the Steels switched to a 3-5-2 at the end, they did show a bit more attacking intent and looked more likely to get an equaliser, however Tommy Marshall’s long range effort was probably the closest anyone got and that was simply caught by Jack Norton.

In the end, Stocksbridge just weren’t good enough in front of goal and paid for it with another loss at home.