Staffordshire Newsletter (Stone Edition)
Eagles suffer narrow loss in last game’s nine-goal bonanza
Droylsden ........................ 5 Eccleshall ........................ 4
ECCLESHALL wrapped up their NWCL season with a final day visit to Droylsden who had already secured their place in the play-offs.
A cloudburst before Eagles arrived at the ground ensured a heavy surface for the match. Leading scorer Liam Hallam returned to the starting lineup after missing last week’s visit to Ashville.
Eagles were first on the attack when Kyle Diskin got to the byline and his cross was cleared for a corner which came to nothing.
On 6 minutes, Droylsden took the lead when a cross from the right found Joel Ankers in the six-yard box and he fired past Eagles keeper Will Blease. Minutes later, Hallam beat four players and cut into the box but fired over.
On eleven minutes, Eagles equalised when Diskin’s free kick into the box was back headed by Dan Shelley into the path of Hallam who slipped the ball past home keeper Morgan Piper for his thirteenth goal of the season.
Then Callum Besford cut his way through, and his shot was deflected for a corner.
The hosts went back in front on 20 minutes when Fuad Kasali beat the defence for pace and slotted past Blease into the corner. It got worse a minute later when the defence gave the ball away and Nellson Van took full advantage to make it 3-1.
Kasali then had another chance but blazed over the bar. On 24 minutes, Eagles pulled one back when Shelley scored with an exquisite chip which Piper could only watch as it went into the top corner. Two minutes later it was 4-2 when Kasali netted again past the diving Blease.
In added time, Van ran clear again but Blease dived full length to tip the ball away. Just before the whistle, Blease had to be alert again to collect a diving header from Liam Moran. The large crowd had been thoroughly entertained in a fast-paced first half with some decent goals.
Half time: Droylsden 4 Eccleshall 2 The hosts started as they finished as Kasali was through again, but Blease held his ground to block. Liam Kelly brought on Harry Baggaley for Liam Tomlin and he was soon in the action and posing a threat up front. Besford ran through again and was brought down outside the box, but Mitch Glover’s free kick was well over.
Eagles went 5-2 down on 66 minutes when Van broke away again and fired into the top corner. Five minutes later Eagles pulled back again when Glover found Baggaley and his volley went over Piper into the net. Jordan Darlington came on for the injured Mark Groom and minutes later Piper saved from Hallam and then a low Glover drive was just the wrong side of the post, with Piper beaten.
Besford, moving forward, found Baggaley, but Piper blocked his shot. Kelly then brought on young keeper Toby Meakin to make his debut for the Eagles before Eccleshall pulled another goal back on 90 minutes, when Darlington was fouled on the edge of the box. Diskin drilled the free kick powerfully past Piper to make it 5-4 with the support in the stand looking on in disbelief.
Anyone coming to the game would never have expected the final scoreline. Should final results go their way, Eccleshall will finish eighth in the division but will wonder, with dropped points over the season, whether they could have figured in the play offs.
The Eagles’ management will now look to build on the existing squad for next season as they have proved they can be a match for the top sides in the division on their day.
Eagles: Blease (Meakin), Tomlin (Baggaley), Besford, Glover, J Minshall, Groom (Darlington), Hallam, Warren, Shelley, Diskin, Ford.
Unused subs: Clare, East.
Referee: Kyle Lord
Attendance: 387