STEETON bounced back from Saturday’s opening day defeat on the road, registering their first win of the North West Counties Football League First Division North season at home to Bacup Borough on Tuesday night.

Despite falling behind to a Ben Longley screamer, two headed goals from Jake Townsend and Josh Coe turned the game around to ensure Roy Mason and his side put three points on the board for the first time in this campaign.

In an open game that provided an entertaining evening for the 144 in attendance at Marley, the first real opportunity of the game fell the way of Steeton.

From an early corner, Townsend’s teasing cross evaded everyone inside the area except Jordan Townend, the midfielder’s touch however went inches past the far post.

Despite an effort from range courtesy of Raeece Ellington, the game turned physical for a period but was well officiated by the referee despite tensions threatening to boil over.

Once the game settled down, both sets of players returned to the ebb and flow of the end-to-end encounter, with half-chances being created but nothing concrete testing either keeper.

Arale Mohamed however did nearly score a fluke, as Joe Fallon’s clearance hit the strikers shin and bounced over the bar by a matter of inches.

The evening’s opening score though soon followed and came the way of the visitors through a moment of individual brilliance.

Despite Steeton clearing a corner, the ball fell to the Borough right-back Longley a good way from goal.

He put his foot through the ball, and even though the original strike appeared destined for the car park, a surreal dip beat James Catlow and landed in the top corner to break the deadlock.

Now a goal down, the push for an equaliser followed and produced immediate results.

Only behind for a three-minute period, Toby Jeffrey found space down the right wing and whipped in a superb delivery towards the six-yard box.

With Coe occupying both centre halves, Townsend took full advantage and headed the ball down into the ground to beat the Bacup keeper.

From the restart after the goal, the Chevrons won the ball back and nearly took the lead but Mohamed’s effort from range went wide of the post.

And just before half-time, the home side felt a little hard done by after a penalty shout was not given when Ellington was seemingly pulled back inside the area.

The penalty that Steeton wanted came early in the second half instead.

Coe won the loose ball after Mohamed was dispossessed and was tripped from behind, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot.

However, Jeffrey’s effort was tame and forced an easy save from Mason Walker between the uprights.

Walker was quickly becoming the star of the show for an under siege Borough backline, producing a number of saves to deny the hosts.

However, there was nothing he could do when it came to the match-winning goal with a quarter of an hour left on the clock.

Jeffrey again broke down the right wing and delivered a superb cross towards the penalty spot.

This time, it was Coe who got his head to the ball, with a brilliant looping header that left Walker with no chance and dipped inside the far post into the net.

Bacup pushed to secure a point, but Josh Walne headed the ball off the line to keep his side ahead, before a late Townsend strike hit the outside of the post.

Steeton’s next game is at home to Darwen on Saturday.