Steeton see off Euxton Villa to go four points clear of drop

In a closely fought game, which spilled over in injury time, a first half brace from in-form Josh Debenham was enough to see the Chevrons over the line in this North West Counties Football League First Division North clash.

And it proved an important victory for Roy Mason and his side ahead of this Satuday’s visit of title-chasing Droylsden with other teams around them at the foot of the table also picking up wins.

The upshot is that Steeton have now moved four points clear of the relegation zone.

The Chevrons came flying out of the gate in the game’s early exchanges on Saturday with a brilliantly applied press, but the closest they got to the breakthrough was a Arley Barnes header that dipped over the bar.

At the other end, Euxton came close to landing the first blow themselves but were denied by debutant Brad Emmerson, as the keeper turned the strike over for a corner.

Brad Emmerson (purple) enjoyed a fine debut for Steeton, with his goalkeeping important to their victory. (Image: Ian Meachin.)

The home side were then gifted the afternoon’s opening goal.

Jack Lynn launched a routine long throw into the box and while the ball was in the air, Euxton defender Cameron Ross decided to barge through the back of Debenham, leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty.

Despite the best efforts of those in blue to delay the taking of the spot kick and distract the striker, Debenham blocked out the noise around him to send the keeper the wrong way and score for a fourth consecutive game.

Now in the lead, the Chevrons grew in confidence and continued to ask questions of a Euxton defence that seemed to be struggling under pressure.

A further breakthrough came just on the brink of half-time as Alex Stewart fed a sublime through ball between the centre halves and into the path of Debenham.

The forward finished first time inside the near post to double both his, and his side’s, tally for the afternoon.

Euxton found a foothold to get back into the contest on the hour mark.

Barnes had already cleared off the line before two heroic blocks kept the visitors out, but they were not to be denied.

They eventually found the way through as Dan Singleton managed to get the ball over Emmerson in the Steeton goal and it creeped in despite the efforts of Lynn on the line.

Just a minute later, the visitors nearly restored the home side’s two-goal deficit for them.

Euxton keeper Oliver Lombard had to be quick as he spared the blushes of Matty Westwell, whose misplaced back pass very nearly crept over the line.

Looking to freshen things up, Mason introduced Emerson Mitchell as one of four changes, but the substitute made the wrong sort of impact.

Frustrated with a decision from the linesman just 90 seconds after his introduction, Mitchell was sent to the sinbin, with the referee deeming the dissent to have crossed the line.

With Villa still chasing the equaliser in injury-time, a late challenge on Lewis Swarbrick from Jacob Smith sparked a 20-man melee.

The officials took stock of the chaos that unfolded in front of them, issuing a straight red card for Ross, with the visiting centre half deemed to have headbutted Smith.

Smith himself was shown a yellow card for the tackle that lit the fuse.

Despite being a man down, Euxton created a chance in the ninth minute of injury time to equalise.

But Emmerson, impressive on debut in goal after joining from Campion prior to the game, took the ball in the air to spark scenes of jubilation among those in green and white.