The Scholars played positive and attacking football throughout but time and again were stifled by their well-organised opponents on a frustrating afternoon.

The visitors had the better of the first half with two early corners from Alex Callery cleared by the Scholars defence, the Steels man seeing his free kick headed over the bar by skipper Brett Lovell.

Chasetown’s first chance saw Ben Jevons’ shot hit the post from an acute angle before Jack Muldoon forced home keeper Darren Acton into a spectacular diving save only for the referee to pull back the play for a foul.

Jevons and Gary Birch began to bring the hosts more into the game as the half progressed while Jimmy Turner combined well with Ramone Stephens down the right, but on 37 minutes it was Stocksbridge who took the lead. John Branch was adjudged to have fouled a Steels attacker and Callery sent the resultant free kick bouncing off the underside of Acton’s crossbar and into the net.

Four minutes later the Scholars defence failed to clear an attack and Muldoon pulled the ball back for Andy Ring to fire the visitors’ second goal into the corner of the net with Acton well beaten.

In the second half Stocksbridge set out to contain the Scholars and continued to frustrate them throughout the half, their defensive style seeing them grab only the odd chance on the break.

Chasetown were thus able to enjoy few chances, Birch sending a free kick wide in the 53rd minute and Richard Davies seeing his corner cleared, while Muldoon tried to lob Acton only to see his effort fly over the bar.

The Scholars seemed to have it confirmed that it was not to be their day when with around ten minutes to go Danny Smith fed the ball inside to Birch but the Scholars centre forward saw his shot bounce back off the upright and into the arms of Steels keeper Ben Scott.

In the closing minutes substitute Dwayne Spence enjoyed a couple of chances to pull one back but both went over the bar as did Birch’s late cross, and Stocksbridge closed the game down in the final moments for the three points.

Chasetown: Acton, Turner, J Branch (Perrow, 70 mins), Slater, Davies, Teesdale, Stephens (Smith, 53 mins), Parsons, Birch, Morris (Spence, 62 mins), Jevons

Other Subs: Cohen, Bridgwater (not used)