Stockton Town 1-0 Steels

Stockton Town were able to take advantage of one defensive mistake to take the three points against Stocksbridge Park Steels.

It was the home side who got off to the better start. A mistake gave the ball to Cameron Painter in the box but he didn’t realise the time he had and quickly struck it well wide. A great cross found Matty Tymon in the box and his volley was only just over the bar.

At the other end, Stocksbridge did manage to get themselves back into the game and had the best chance of the game so far. Bailey Baker burst forward and put in a fantastic cross which Luke Rawson was able to send goalwards. Callum Roberts made a great fingertip save though to touch it onto the bar and deny the former Chesterfield striker. Alex O’Connor also had a good effort, but Roberts was equal to his low shot.

Stocksbridge would sigh a breathe of relief not to be behind before the break. Lewis King’s cross was absolutely perfect and caused havoc within the Stocksbridge six-yard box. Stockton players tried to get to it but the Steels were able to clear and keep it goalless at the break.

In the second half, it was Stockton who were able to draw first blood with a man many were relieved to see was just on the bench. Kevin Hayes had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes but he latched onto a ball over the top to go one-on-one with Ben Townsend. The former Handsworth goalkeeper rushed out to narrow the angle but Hayes was able to go over the top and give Stockton the lead.

Steels now had nothing to lose and you could see that with the way they threw numbers forward. Jordan Lemon was pushing forward and he looked to replicate his Sheffield goal with a curling chipped effort. This time though, it’d hit the top of the net and not the back of it.

The last big chance would come from a corner. Kurtis Turner whipped it in and Charlie Oglesby rose like the proverbial salmon to send a powerful header towards goal. Roberts was on hand with a diving save to palm it away and it meant Stocksbridge would return to Sheffield with no points.