Steyning Town stay top with tough win at Midhurst
It was a case of ‘job done’ for Steyning Town on a difficult afternoon at Midhurst as they secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory to stay top of the SCFL premier division.
The visitors made the perfect start, striking twice early on to take control. Alex Brewer opened the scoring with a neat, composed finish after a fine ball from Joe Benn, setting the tone for a bright opening spell.
Soon after, Steyning doubled their advantage thanks to an unfortunate, but quite spectacular, headed own goal, putting them firmly in the driving seat.
Despite the strong start, the scoreline could have been far more convincing by the break. Max Blencowe had a goal disallowed and Steyning created a number of good chances but were unable to add to their tally, heading into half-time 2-0 up but knowing they had left the door slightly ajar.
That feeling proved justified early in the second half. A below-par spell allowed Midhurst, playing down the slope, to pull a goal back through Callum Kimber and shift the momentum, making it a more uncomfortable afternoon than it perhaps should have been.
To their credit, Steyning responded well. They regained control, created further opportunities, and finished the game on the front foot.
The best of these fell to Harry Heath, who fired wide when through one on one.
A lack of clinical finishing meant the third goal never came, keeping the contest alive longer than desired.
In truth, goalkeeper Mitch Bromage was largely untroubled for the final half hour, with Steyning managing the game effectively in the closing stages.
A special mention goes to Finn Daniels-Yeomans who had a sensational game in the middle of the park, covering every blade of grass and winning tackles time and time again. The back two of Marcus Allen and Tad Bromage also looked solid under pressure in the second half.
Played on a tough pitch and against determined opposition, this was not a day for free-flowing football, but it was a day for resilience and professionalism. In the end, Steyning Town got the job done, taking all three points back home.
The Barrowmen remain three points clear of Haywards Heath at the top, having played a game more.
Steyning: M Bromage, Blencowe, Allen, T Bromage, Rance, Worrall, Daniels-Yeomans, Benn, Brewer, Heath, Hoarty. Subs used: Bridgman, Plummer, Dowdell, Docherty. Not used: Freeman.