After recent good results, Eccleshall travelled to Alsager Town for their midweek match looking to continue their run of form. Manager Liam Kelly made a couple of changes to the side which drew at Cammell Laird, with Lewis Dunn and Louis Downs brought back into the starting line-up and Mitch Glover and George Woodroffe dropping to the bench.
Eagles got off to a great start and showed their intent with just seven minutes gone.Ryan Malbon ran into the box and his fierce drive was well saved by Town keeper Ryan Forde. From the corner, his low shot was cleared off the line. In reply, Sam Madeley blasted into the side netting. Then, a free kick outside the box found Harrison Bebbington and Aaron Woolrich dived to make a good save. An Eagles corner was headed over the bar by Mark Groom before Forde made a superb double save to prevent Eagles taking the lead. A Malbon free kick was tipped onto the bar before saving Chris Boast’s follow up effort. Back came Town and from a corner, Woolrich punched clear before Stefan Sorensen fired over. Ethan Stanton’s low drive was then well saved by Forde before Downs’ follow up effort was blocked. With the weather conditions deteriorating as half time approached through sleet and snow, the surface became more difficult to control passes. A Jordan Flattley corner was headed wide by Ryan Pickup and Woolrich easily held a Josh Patterson effort. As the players came off for the interval, the home keeper had certainly been the busier of the two and supporters were wondering how Eagles hadn’t got at least a three-goal lead.
HT: Alsager Town 0 Eccleshall 0

Eccleshall began the second half again applying pressure on the Town goal. On 55 minutes, they thought they had taken the lead when Boast headed past Forde, but he was flagged offside. Against the run of play, Alsager took the lead on 64 minutes when Paterson caught Woolrich too far off his line and his lob over the stranded keeper found the net. Kelly brought Glover on for Downs before disaster struck. Boast was red-carded by referee Chawner-Bowers for violent conduct and Callum Feeney protested too much to the official resulting in him being sin-binned for ten minutes. With Eagles now down to nine men, Alsager were looking to make the most of the two-player advantage and almost netted again as Woolrich made a great save from Paterson’s header. However, Eagles did equalize in 77 minutes when a through ball down the middle left Malbon running clear and he slotted the ball under the advancing Forde to find the net. Kelly chose to replace Feeney with William Holt as Eagles went back to ten men. Flattley went close with a shot just wide of the post before Woolrich made a good save from a Madeley back-heel.
FT: Alsager Town 1 Eccleshall 1

Eccleshall will look back on their first half chances and be disappointed that they didn’t pick up all three points. However, as things panned out, they remain unbeaten in March. They will be hoping to pick up more points in their final five matches.

Eagles: Woolrich, Pickup, Dunn, Feeney (Holt), Groom, Benton, R Malbon, Stanton, Boast, Flattley, Downs (Glover).
Unused subs: Woodroffe, Hickman, Atton.

Referee: Mr Stephen Chawner-Bowers
Attendance: 67