Steeton seal late point against Ashton Town and almost three

In a pulsating end-to-end encounter at Marley, last season’s defeated North West Counties Football League First Division North play-off finalists took the lead before the Chevrons snatched a point with only a minute left on the clock.

And it is a much-needed point for Roy Mason and his side to not only move them from the foot of the early table but gives them so much needed momentum ahead of the season’s first Marley derby against Route One Rovers tomorrow.

In the early exchanges, the visitors had the better of the chances.

After forcing an early save from James Catlow, two superb pieces of recovering defence from Alfie Gibbon and then his centre half partner Jacob Smith denied Carl Peers as the striker looked for the breakthrough.

Steeton created chances of their own, the first seeing an Owen Williamson header going just wide of the far post.

A Williamson flick-on then almost saw the deadlock broken by the Chevrons in sensational circumstances.

Lewis Gartland produced a sensational piece of skill on the turn to get through two defenders before hitting the ball on the volley.

However, the strike went just wide of the far post much to the agony of the home support.

The game had a feeling of déjà vu to last season as Steeton could not find the back of the net.

Shortly before half-time, Jake Townsend tried his luck from range with a sensational strike that was denied by an equally as brilliant save from Jake Parsisson between the visitors’ posts.

The breakthrough finally came in the 68th minute, as Ashton took the lead through a moment of individual brilliance.

With Town passing the ball around the edge of the Steeton area, Taylor Prescott seized an opportunity to flick up the ball and volley it into the top bin from 20 yards.

And only some goalkeeping heroics prevented a second goal for the visitors.

With the momentum behind them from the opening goal, Ashton continued to pressure the Steeton goal.

However, they were denied by an outstanding double save from Catlow, as the Chevrons number one kept his side in the contest.

Steeton goalkeeper James Catlow and his defenders Jacob and Macca Smith keep out Ashton. (Image: Ian Meachin.)

At the opposite end, Parsisson produced another sensational save to tip a goal bound effort from Townsend over the crossbar and away for a corner.

But with time running out, the home side found the leveller, much to the home supporters’ delight.

Winning a free kick in a dangerous position, Townsend whipped the ball towards the far post, where it was met by the head of Adam Hartley.

Despite the best efforts of a defender to handle the ball and stop it going in, the power of the header was enough to get the ball over the line.

And in truth, the Chevrons should have won the game in the dying moments.

Another whipped ball towards the far post, this time by Macca Smith, was flicked back towards goal by Williamson.

It fell into the path of Steeton’s Jamal Stewart, but he saw his shot go agonisingly wide and not the back of the net, as the hosts had to settle for a point.