Steeton fight through injuries and drama as Ashton fall again
League tables took a back seat across Step 6 this week amid cup ties, milestones and long-overdue relief — nowhere more so than at Marley Stadium, where Steeton finally stopped the rot, in manager Roy Mason's own words, beating Ashton Athletic 4-2 in a game that swung wildly in the first seventeen minutes alone. Dan Smith, Kevin Gonzalez and an unfortunate Luke Crompton own goal put the Chevrons 3-1 up before Ashton hauled themselves back into it, Crompton atoning for his earlier mistake with a fine finish of his own. It took a stoppage-time strike from Yianni Abbas to finally settle it, in front of 79 spectators, and came only days after Steeton had lost 2-1 at Garstang, a result that had left them, in Mason's words, made to rue missed chances and pushed them into the relegation zone.
County cup ties accounted for much of the weekend's action. Daisy Hill thumped Atherton LR 6-0 in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy derby, a result put into context by the club's own recollection of a 5-0 second-half salvo against the same opponents five years earlier almost to the day. Thornton Cleveleys extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 3-2 win at AFC Blackpool in the Fylde Coast derby, Josh Winder scoring twice including a stoppage-time header, though manager Paul Gregory admitted his side were "miles away from where we want to be" amid a lengthening injury list that includes Kieran Shaw, who underwent ankle surgery during the week.
At Wolverhampton Casuals, a 3-1 win at Shawbury United featured a debut goal from new signing Leo Wood's teammate Cian McIntosh, while loan man Richard David continues to catch the eye after his move from Alvechurch. Telford Town strengthened for the weeks ahead with the arrivals of midfielder Charlie Swingwood, goalkeeper Adam Jenkins and midfielder Lukman Darboe-Suwareh, all arriving with considerable experience across the Midlands non-league scene, according to manager Mike Dunn.
