Steeple slip up against rivals

Steeple Morden 0 Abington United 2 STEEPLE Morden slipped to a disappointing home defeat against fellow promotion hopefuls Abington United in the BIS League Division 3A. Manager Kenny Watters was forced to make a number of changes with key players miss

Steeple Morden 0

Abington United 2

STEEPLE Morden slipped to a disappointing home defeat against fellow promotion hopefuls Abington United in the BIS League Division 3A.

Manager Kenny Watters was forced to make a number of changes with key players missing which seemed to affect his side's confidence.

And they were lucky not to have gone behind in the opening minutes after a penalty was awarded for a rash handball.

But despite being outplayed at times, Steeple still created openings, and Jim Edey was unlucky to see his 20-yard effort pushed away.

Charlie Prothero then went even closer when his free-kick crashed against the bar, after he almost found Andy Smith and Martyn Lees at the back post with another well-taken set-piece.

However, Abington took the lead after 27 minutes, with three Steeple defenders failing to block an Abington striker's shot which was then parried by Tim Tidey into the path of his strike partner who gratefully converted from close range.

Steeple rallied in the second half, but the game was ultimately lost when they conceded a second penalty on the hour mark which this time was slotted home.

Tidey denied Abington a third late on, with the stalwart keeper reacting well to another United attack, but all in all, it was a frustrating afternoon for the hosts.

Steeple Morden: Tidey; Hutley, Smith, Watters, Murphy (M Holt); Parr (Gilley), Prothero, Edey, Collins (Clarke); Lees, B Holt.