Eccleshall progressed to the second round of the Macron Cup and a date with fellow Division One South side FC Oswestry Town after defeating AFC Darwen at Pershall Park.
With Jordan Bennion and Izaac Walsh unavailable, Dan Needham out with injury, there were starts for Liam Baker-Haynes and Billy Johnson. There was a place on the bench for last season’s top scorer Louis Downs who has returned after several weeks out.
The visitors started on the front foot and had two early efforts but couldn’t find the target on either occasion, at the other end Luke Walsh had Eccleshall’s first shot, without working the keeper.
On twelve minutes Eccleshall took the lead, skipper Harvey Collins, playing in a holding midfield role split the Darwen defence to send Tom Wakefield through on goal and he finished neatly under the keeper as he tried to narrow the angle.
Just before the twenty-minute mark, Darwen were level, a ball in from the right fell to Jamie Gibson whose shot from the edge of the box took a deflection past Owen Wyatt.
Within a minute Brad Carr should have had Eccleshall back in front after being sent clear by Wakefield, this time Gidley did well to close Carr down and make the save. Carr didn’t have to wait long for his goal, this time Luke Walsh split the Darwen high line, Carr, this time giving the onrushing Gidley little chance to close him down.
On the half hour Darwen were level again, another ball in from the right was chested back into the path of Kiel Lonsdale, who found the corner of Wyatt’s goal.
Eccleshall, having been pegged back twice showed great determination to stay on the front foot, Carr fed Wakefield, whose shot was saved but within a minute Wakefield had his second after good work by Walsh and James Lewis.

HT. Eccleshall FC 3 AFC Darwen 2

Five minutes into the second half Christoph Aziamale replaced Walsh who was suffering with a quad strain and he was straight into the action having a shot blocked, then firing over after Ben Fraser found Wakefield with a fine half volley.
Although there weren’t any further goals, the chances kept coming for both sides, Fraser and Wakefield had headers off target, Aziamale had another shot blocked, whilst Wyatt made a couple of comfortable saves.
Louis Downs made his comeback from injury as he replaced James Lewis who had done well in a wide left position and Oliver Putnam came on for Wakefield for the final ten minutes.

Next Saturday Eccleshall return to league action with a trip to Stockport Town, then entertain Sandbach United on Wednesday, 7.45pm ko.

FT. Eccleshall FC 3 AFC Darwen 2

Eccleshall – Wyatt, Baker-Haynes, Johnson, Fraser, Dunn, Collins ©, Feeney, Carr, Walsh L ( Aziamale), Lewis (Downs), Wakefield (Putnam) Subs not used – Gittins and Griffiths