STEETON returned to winning ways with a 2-0 home victory over Shelley in the first of a Yorkshire derby double header.

Coming into the game on the back of a six-game winless streak, a Toby Jeffrey double inspired the Chevrons to a much-needed three points in the North West Counties Football League First Division North.

Steeton were good value for their win and it is one which takes them to within three points of the play-off places.

Dedicating the triumph to the volunteers and supporters, manager Roy Mason was left delighted by his side’s much improved performance heading into tonight’s Macron Cup tie away at Bradford side Route One Rovers.

The Chevvies began Saturday afternoon brightly, as they pushed forward and looked threatening with every attack.

The closest the hosts came to the opening goal inside the first half hour was through Josh Walne, the right back seeing his shot repelled by a last-ditch defensive block.

Soon after, Shelley gifted their opponents the opening goal as they gave away a cheap penalty.

Ezio De Santis threaded a through ball wide to Jake Townsend out on the left wing.

Niall Bent appeared to push the winger away from goal but then lunged in and brought Townsend to the ground, leaving the referee with no option other than to point to the penalty spot.

Jeffrey composed himself to slot the ball home into the bottom left corner to break the deadlock and register his first goal of the season.

An immediate second almost followed, Paul Day getting down low to make a superb save to deny Townsend after yet more well-worked play with De Santis.

The second half was all Steeton, as the home side continued to drive forward, looking to end the game as a contest.

It took them seven minutes to double their lead.

De Santis again was the focal point of a flowing move as he drove up the middle of the pitch.

He linked up with Rory Langdon, the striker sending his attacking midfielder’s lay-off into the path of Jeffrey.

The Steeton stalwart sat down the Shelley centre half before curling the ball past the keeper for his second goal of the afternoon.

Shelley had the linesman for not falling further behind as the man with the flag made an error to deny the home side the goal that would have ended the game as a contest.

The referee played advantage after a lunging tackle, which allowed De Santis to drive forward once more.

He passed the ball to Townsend, who saw his strike come back off the post.

The woodwork sent the ball on to the head of Day in the Shelley goal, who inadvertently knocked the ball into his own goal.

The linesman however flagged for offside against De Santis as the Italian followed the initial shot, despite the Steeton man being behind his teammate when the strike on goal went through.

Shelley was riding their luck and escaped a penalty appeal for handball, however the protests that followed temporarily reduced Steeton to ten as Josh McKiernon was sent to the sin bin.

Despite this minor setback, Steeton continued to push for a third, with Josh Coe seeing the ball just escape his outstretched foot and McKiernon striking the crossbar upon his return from the bin.

The visitors finished strongly as they created their only two real chances of the game in injury time.

But James Catlow kept a rare clean sheet intact with two trademark outstanding saves to turn the attempts away from goal.