With the club injury list mounting, manager Liam Kelly had to shuffle the pack again for the Edward Case Cup match against Cheadle Heath Nomads. Mark Groom and Lewis Dunn were the latest casualties and Joe Griffiths returned to the squad. The visitors played out a tough but entertaining 0-0 draw in their league visit to Pershall Park in mid-September.
Eagles started well and the pace of Ryanjay Malbon was posing problems for the Nomads defence as they mounted a number of attacks on goal. He had a shot blocked as he powered into the area. Then Nomads Reuben Dass set up Arek Pociask and his shot was blocked by the Eagles defence. On 28 minutes, a great run by Daniel Byrnes led to him cutting into the area and only a one-handed save by Eagles ‘keeper Aaron Woolrich prevented the visitors taking the lead. Both sides were moving well going forward and it was only a matter of time before a goal came. It was the visitors who took the lead on 32 minutes when a ball across the box found Byrnes and he had the time to slot home past the advancing Woolrich. Both sides continued to attack as the half played out.

HT: Eccleshall 0 Cheadle Heath Nomads 1

Eccleshall came out strong in the second half looking for an early equaliser and it came on 55 minutes when a 30-yard piledriver by Oliver Hickman found the top cornet of the net. Nomads ‘keeper Alexander Fowell got a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it out. On 62 minutes, Nomads found the net again through Harrison Bickerton, but he was flagged offside. Pociask then crafted another chance but fired wide. The game continued to be nip and tuck and Nomads’ Ryan Shenton found Lee Constantine from a free kick, but his header was over the bar. It was Eccleshall who took the lead with a well-constructed goal on 73 minutes. Mitch Glover curled a through pass to Jordan Flattley who advanced down the right and his cross into the box was headed home by Louis Downs. Malbon fired over before a Pociask shot brought a fingertip save around the post from Woolrich. A Harry Farnsworth shot was collected by the diving Fowell before the same player fired another chance over the bar. With time ticking away, the visitors forced an equaliser on 87 minutes when a defensive mistake led to Bickerton running through and he fired the ball past Woolrich to find the net.

FT: Eccleshall 2 Cheadle Heath Nomads 2

With no extra time, the game went straight to a penalty shoot-out to decide the winners. Spot kicks by Shenton, Isaac Graham and Isaac Lopes for the visitors were balanced out by Downs, Flattley and skipper Callum Feeney to keep the scores level. Joshua Tinker then struck the post with his kick giving Eagles the advantage. However, Griffiths sent the keeper the wrong way but put his wide of the post. Nomads’ fifth penalty by Bickerton was saved by Woolrich. Up stepped Hickman to fire past the diving Fowell and put Eagles through, earning them a home tie in the next round against Abbey Hey on Saturday 26. November.

Having also drawn Cheadle Heath in the Macron Cup, they are again the visitors to Pershall Park next Saturday. After Eccleshall’s two close games against spirited opposition, there is no reason to doubt that this match will be the same.

Eagles: Woolrich, Flanaghan (Farnsworth), Woodroffe, Flattley, Blaise, Hickman, Malbon (Griffiths), Feeney, Downs, Glover (Taylor), Baker.
Unused subs: Green-Birch, Tomlin.

Referee: Mr Justice Jacobs
Attendance: 81