After their FA Vase success at Newent Town last Saturday, Eccleshall returned to league action against lowly Rocester at Pershall Park. Manager Liam Kelly made a couple of changes, with Jack Flanaghan and Luke Lewis returning to the starting line-up.
Eagles made a decent start and were on top for the first fifteen minutes or so, but Rocester gradually worked their way into the game and a Callum Niven shot was just wide of the post. Almost immediately, Ryanjay Malbon replied with an effort which whistled just wide. The away side were playing far better than their league position would suggest and keeping the Eagles attack at bay, the game following a similar pattern to the game at Hillsfield earlier in the season. With half time approaching, Romans’ Brandon Patterson had a chance which Eagles’ keeper Aaron Woolrich easily collected.

HT: Eccleshall 0 Rocester 0

Eagles came out for the second half on the front foot and Malbon ran through only to have his shot blocked by Romans ‘keeper Charlie Wood. A free kick by Jordan Flattley was then headed over by Oliver Hickman. Eccleshall continued to press, and a Mitchell Glover free kick was headed over by Lewis. It looked as though a goal wasn’t going to come and Kelly brought Lucas Green-Birch on for Hickman to bolster the strike force. Another cross into the box by Lewis was easily held by Wood. The breakthrough finally come on 66 minutes when Malbon ran down the left and his low cross into the box was neatly tucked away past Wood by Glover. It was what the game needed and three minutes later, Eagles increased their lead. Another powerful run down the left by Malbon led to him cutting into the box and driving the ball past Wood into the far corner of the net for a superb individual goal. Kelly brought on Ryan Pickup and Ben Chesters for Jordan Benton and Lewis as they looked to add to their goal tally, but Rocester weren’t out of it as Scott Staniland fired just wide of the post. George Woodroffe came on for Flattley who had picked up a knock and, with time ticking away, Eccleshall put the game to bed in the 90th minute. Malbon, who had proved a constant thorn in Rocester’s side, ran into the box only to be brought down. Referee Widdowson pointed to the spot and, with regular penalty taker Benton off the field, it was left to Malbon to fire the ball past Wood to put the Eagles three up. There was still time for a Callum Feeney corner to be headed over the bar by Aidan Blaise before the final whistle.

FT: Eccleshall 3 Rocester 0

This was a welcome three points for Eccleshall who, with two games in hand on teams above them, are still within touching distance of the play-off places at the top end of the table. Next up is a tough looking away game at Maine Road in Manchester on Saturday. Liam Kelly will be looking for a vast improvement on their previous visit when Eagles turned in one of their poorest performances of the season to be comprehensively beaten. There are no easy games in this league.

Eagles: Woolrich, Hickman, Dunn, Benton, Blaise, Feeney, Flanaghan, Flattley, Malbon, Glover, Lewis.
Subs: Groom, Chesters, Pickup, Green-Birch, Woodroffe.

Referee: Mr Jacob Widdowson

Attendance: 124