STEETON kept their faint play-off hopes alive with a 2-1 victory at high-flying Euxton Villa in the North West Counties Football League First Division North.

Coming from behind to take the three points in their first ever visit to the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground, the Chevrons broke their record points total in a season as a semi-professional club with the win.

And the winner came courtesy of Josh Coe, the first ever senior goal scored by the 17-year-old, who joined on loan in January from Bradford (Park Avenue).

The referee on the evening delayed kick-off to allow the three Muslim players within the Steeton ranks to break fast during the holy month of Ramadan, but once the game got underway, both sides had early opportunities.

Andy Briggs headed over from close range after a corner, with Euxton going the length of the pitch from the resulting goal kick to force a good save from James Catlow.

Steeton came close once more as Toby Jeffrey freed Josh Walne, the right-back finding the side netting from just inside the area.

The visitors then thought they had a good shout for a penalty as Arale Mohamed was taken down off the ball, but the referee waved the appeals away.

The man with the whistle was left with no option but to point to the spot minutes later, after an Euxton attacker was felled inside the area by the leg of a Steeton defender, as chaos reigned from a throw-in.

George Davies placed the ball on the spot and sent Catlow the wrong way to break the deadlock on the evening.

The lead lasted only five minutes as Steeton made sure the scores were level at half-time in style.

Walne played a long ball down the right wing, which came over the shoulder of Briggs.

Steeton’s skipper controlled the ball with a sublime first touch before lobbing the Euxton keeper from outside the area, the ball dropping inside the far post to take the striker on to 34 goals for the season.

Just before the break, the visitors had the chance to take the lead, but Jonny Hodgkinson, on his first appearance for four months following a serious knee injury, could only head the ball wide from a free kick into the area.

The second half was low on drama and opportunities as both sides were looking for the right moment to get through on goal and take the lead.

Both sides created a number of half-chances but nothing concrete, as it appeared the game was going to fade away towards a draw and a share of the spoils, which in turn would end all hopes of the play-offs for Roy Mason and his Steeton players.

However, with 10 minutes left to go on the clock, the visitors found what would prove to be the winning goal.

The Euxton defence misjudged a long ball from the halfway line and Jake Townsend found himself the wrong side of the centre halves.

Despite being pushed wide of the goal, the midfielder looked up to see Coe and Briggs providing support inside the area.

He squared the ball into the box for Coe, and the teenager took a touch before coolly finishing inside the near post for his first senior goal, sparking wild celebrations among his teammates.

Pushing for an equaliser, the home side came at the Steeton goal in the closing stages, but the centre-back pairing of Hodgkinson and Charlie Lloyd held firm, heading clear a number of balls into the area to get their team over the line.

With only two games left, Steeton's play-off hopes remain slim, as they are still four points adrift, with the two sides directly above them, Ilkley Town and Holker Old Boys, having one and two games in hand respectively.