Match Reports

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Steeton condemned Tyersal to their first league defeat since the opening day of the season in a pulsating game at

Summerhill Lane

in front of yet another big crowd.

With Tyersal starting the day in third place and Steeton in fourth it was a game that neither side could afford to loose. The game got off to a cagey start with both sides feeling each other out. It was Steeton that had the first effort of the game when Ricardo Falconi peeled away from his marker and found Arley Barnes on the edge of the box and his drive was narrowly wide. With almost their first attempt on goal it was Tyersal that gained the lead as Steeton conceded a needless foul on the half way line. The resulting kick was launched into the area and Ben Kendall just managed to get his head to the ball ahead of Steeton keeper Paul Linyard and the ball looped into the un guarded net. However the lead lasted no longer than a minute and Steeton were soon back on level terms. Chris Smith fed Graham Holmes, who held the ball up well and swivelled in the box before feeding Adam Spencer who calmly slotted the ball past the advancing Ivan Willis in the Tyersal goal. Falconi then beat two men on a mazy run but Willis dealt with his shot.

Jack Ogalbe then won the ball in midfield and fed Spencer whose fierce drive was beaten away for a corner as Steeton looked to gain the upper hand before half time. But as the game swung back and forth Tyersal also had their moments when leading scorer Glen Beale whipped a shot across the face of goal, which went narrowly wide. With half time approaching Steeton were caught out with the long ball and Beale burst through and despite the best attempts of Sam Rooke and Rob Horton his fired in a shot which Linyard did well to save but Anthony Busfield was quickest to react and he gave the Bradford side the lead going into the interval.

Steeton came out for the second half the more purposeful with Andy Foster and Jack Ogalbe covering every blade of grass the home side again started to create chances. The first fell to Holmes who volleyed narrowly over and Spencer shot against Willis after Holmes’ knock down.

Within fifteen minutes Steeton had levelled, Parks ball into the box found Holmes who twisted and turned before shooting, Willis parried his effort and Falconi looked a certain scorer when he followed up only to see Willis get something on his shot before Spencer appeared out of nowhere to lash the loose ball into the roof of the net to bring the Summerhill side level.

This seemed to spur Steeton on and the introduction of Mark Hardman on the right hand side added fresh impetus to Steeton’s play and it was Hardman who combined on the right with Falconi to set up the winner, will the ball looking as if it was running out of play Hardman didn’t give up and fed Falconi. With a couple of Tyersal players looking at the referee it was the locals who used the old adage of playing to the whistle best and Falconi’s cross was met by the onrushing Spencer who fired first time into the bottom of the net to complete his hat-trick and cue wild celebrations within the Steeton camp.

After coming from behind twice against a side that had only lost once this season spoke volumes for the character and commitment within the young Steeton squad.

Steeton: Linyard, Barnes, Horton, Smith (Hardman), Rooke, Ogalbe (Lamb), Falconi, Foster, Spencer, Holmes, Park. Sub not used: Trowers

Goals: Spencer (16, 60, 86)

Man of the match: Spencer