Dunston were left ruing missed chances after falling to a 3-2 defeat away at Sheffield FC.

It was the second meeting between the two sides this week and the hosts got off to the perfect start when Finn O’Boyle scored twice in four minutes.

Jack Maskell halved the deficit from the penalty spot late in the first half however, the two-goal cushion was restored in the second half when Stephen Brogan scored a fantastic free kick. 

Jack Maskell once again gave Dunston a lifeline as he dispatched his second penalty of the game in the 90th minute, but the hosts held on for the three points.

Wayne Phillips made his first start for the club as he came into the midfield. Jack Walker also returned to the starting line-up after missing Tuesday’s game. The injury troubles were apparent as only four substitutes were named on the bench.

The first effort came with just two minutes played when Jack Maskell got a sight of goal and curled an effort wide of the target.

Sheffield began to get on top and dominated the early stages of the game as Connor Cutts powered an effort over the bar and Cameron Johnson guided two free kick attempts narrowly off target.

Finn O’Boyle, who was always a threat on Tuesday night, then opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Dunston failed to deal with a cross into the box and the ball fell to O’Boyle who fired home from close range.

Dunston had a half chance to level just a couple of minutes later. After a succession of corners, the ball dropped to Wayne Phillips on the edge of the box. His shot was blocked and Sheffield managed to scramble the ball away after some pinball in the penalty area.

The Sheffield lead was doubled in the 26th minute when Finn O’Boyle netted his second of the game with a tidy finish past Aaron Steavens.

After going two-goals down, Dunston finally began to get going. A lobbed effort from Jack Maskell went over the crossbar, before Chris McDonald lashed a vicious effort towards goal, only for it to go out for a corner.

With five minutes to go in the first half, Dunston were handed a route back into the game. Luke Carr was hacked down from behind inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Jack Maskell stepped up and rifled the ball past Edd Hall to narrow Sheffield’s lead at half-time to just one goal.

After the break, Dunston came flying out the traps and it was all one-way traffic. Chris McDonald did excellently down the left hand side and played a cross into the box for David Robinson, but Robinson’s header skimmed millimetres past the post.

Minutes later, another golden chance came when David Robinson almost turned into the provider. He pulled the ball back across the face of goal towards Luke Carr at the back post, but Carr couldn’t quite get on the end of it on the stretch.

Richard Coulson was next to come close to pulling Dunston level in the game. The ball dropped to him with about 20 minutes left, but his effort from a tight angle flashed across the face of goal.

Robinson again came close when he latched onto a through ball. He drove through on goal, but couldn’t find the target as he poked his effort wide of the post. 

Dunston continued to look the more threatening of the two sides and were looking like certainties to score the next goal. Maskell came close when he was picked out by Robinson inside the area, but Hall was quick to react and smothered the shot to keep his side ahead.

After constant pressure from Dunston, Sheffield landed a sucker punch in the final ten minutes. Dunston gave away a free kick 25 yards out. Second half substitute Stephen Brogan stepped up and curled the ball into the top corner to restore the hosts’ two-goal buffer against the run of play.

With just one minute of the 90 left, Dunston again had the chance to reduce the deficit when a Sheffield defender was penalised for a handball inside the area and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Maskell stepped up again and fired home his third penalty in two games as he lashed the ball to the left side of Hall. 

Five minutes of stoppage time were indicated and Dunston can probably feel hard done by as a third penalty shout was waved away. Walker was brought down from behind inside the area but nothing was given and the hosts managed to see the game out to take all three points.

Report by Callum Pattison 

Image Credit - Beauty Time Photography