STEETON staged a sensational comeback to beat local rivals Golcar United on penalties to progress into the second round of the West Riding County Cup last night.

Leading 2-0 inside the opening half an hour, the hosts were perhaps unlucky not to have been further ahead before the interval, though Jahro Parchment’s strike from the edge of the box offered Steeton a way back into the match on the stroke of half time.

The Chevrons responded after the break, with Toby Jeffrey’s injury-time equaliser a just reward for their efforts, before goalkeeper Stuart Cross’ penalty shootout heroics secured what had seemed the unlikeliest of wins for Roy Mason’s side.

Without key players Kayle Price, Andy Briggs and Ben Kendall, Steeton were down to the bare bones of their squad and found themselves behind after just two minutes.

Alex Hallam was given time and space to unleash a 25-yard strike that stung the palms of Cross before the striker was allowed to collect the rebound, round the Steeton ‘keeper, and roll the ball into an empty net.

Cross was equal to everything that came his way as Golcar continued to dominate, with Alistair Morgan also in the right place to clear a powerful goal-bound shot off the line.

But midway through the half, both were helpless to prevent a second for the league leaders as Steeton failed to deal with a corner, allowing Ben Burnett to slot home at the near post.

Jeffrey forced a good save from Harry Stead before Luke Baldwin tried his luck with a scissor kick as Steeton worked their way back into the match, whilst Jerry White prevented a Golcar third with a goal-line clearance at the other end.

Despite the hosts controlling the play, the Chevrons were able to counter quickly and halved the deficit in first-half injury time.

Parchment was gifted time and space to drive forward before curling a shot from the edge of the box that deflected off the inside of the post and past a helpless Stead.

Steeton came out of the blocks firing after the interval but were lucky not to concede a third when a Golcar player somehow blazed over the bar from five yards out.

Baldwin and Josh McKiernon saw efforts blocked as the Chevrons pushed in search of an equaliser before Jeffrey fizzed a teasing cross narrowly wide, whilst White provided a spectacular clearance to deny Hallam his second.

The pace of Steeton’s forwards soon began to stretch the Golcar defence, with Jack Lynn and Joe Snowden also enjoying the freedom of the wings from full-back.

But they had to wait for a moment of magic from Jeffrey that sent the away fans into raptures in the dying seconds of the match.

The young winger picked up the ball 25 yards out before looking up and unleashing a stunning strike past Stead and into the top right corner to complete the comeback.

Golcar made two attacking substitutions as they looked to snatch a last-gasp winner, but it was Steeton that came closest to sealing the win when McKiernon rose highest to meet a Jeffrey cross, but his header went just over the bar to send the tie to penalties.

With the spot-kicks being taken in front of a stand full of Golcar supporters, the first four were scored, before Stead saved from Parchment, and Cross denied Hallam with a fantastic diving save.

Michael Fish emphatically scored Golcar’s fourth to take the shootout to sudden death, with Jeffrey’s powerful effort giving Steeton the lead before Cross continued his heroics to keep out Jacob Buchanan and set up a second-round tie at Harrogate Railway.

Mason will hope that the Chevrons produce a similarly electric performance as they return to NWCFL action away at Daisy Hill on Saturday (kick-off 3 pm).

GOLCAR UNITED: Stead, Stor, Buchanan, Crane, Lawrence, Skarz, Townend, Willitts, Cox, Hallam, Burnett.

STEETON: Cross, Snowden, Lynn, Morgan, White, Jeffrey, Farhan Subhani, McKiernon, Parchment, Robinson, Baldwin.

Unused substitutes: Bristol, Khan, Kavenagh, Smith.