A last second goal from Eccleshall keeper Brandon McEleny seemed to sum up IRLAM FC’S season, as McEleny came up for a corner to head past his opposite number, lee White to snatch a point as the score went to 2-2 as the final whistle blew.
The point ensures Irlam spend another week stuck in 14th spot in North West Counties Div One.
The young Eccleshall keeper had a busy start as he got down early to save at the feet of Irlam defender Karl Cassell
At the opposite end, Eccleshall’s Steven Hughes drove a low cross into the Irlam box that found striker Crofts, his shot back to wide man Gartside who fired over the Irlam bar.
With just eight minutes gone Irlam looked to have opened the scoring when Christian Lawlor lifted his shot over the oncoming McEleny in the visiting goal, only for Eccleshall skipper Jack Warren to come to the rescue, scooping the ball off the visitor’s goal line as the game remained goalless.
With both sides sharing possession through the midfield, it took until the 31st minute for the first goal of the game and when a cross was whipped in to the Eccleshall area, it eluded the visiting defenders before falling to Irlam’s Gareth Mooney, the Irlam winger coolly picking his picking his spot as he slotted the ball into the top corner corner of the net to open the scoring for Irlam.
Two minutes later, Mooney had the ball in the net again, the goal standing despite a degree of confusion as the asst seemed to flag for an infringement, only to then put his flag down, allowing play to continue as Mooney secured his second of the game.
A couple more chances fell to Irlam before the break, both Lawler and Cassell snatching at chances that were off target as the half time whistle sounded.
Eccleshall had an early chance in the second half but Ryan Broadhead's effort was collected by Irlam keeper, Lee White, and moments later, Hughes ran through but shot wide, as Eccleshall started to press forward in search of a way back into the game.
After a decent spell of possession, the visitors did pull a goal back on 63 minutes, a long ball sent in by Cooper led to Crofts running on, and with the a suspicion of offside,the Eccleshall no10 kept his cool to slide the ball under the diving White.
As the game wore on, the visiting side seemed to have the lion’s share of possession as Eccleshall continued to push Irlam back , a strong wind not helping Irlam’s cause as most of the action was taking place in the Irlam half, Irlam relying on clearances to break out of their half.
Hughes went close for the visitors as he flashed a shot over the Irlam goal, but on 85 minutes, both sides were reduced to ten men, an altercation between Irlam skipper Ryan Longworth and Eccleshall’s skipper Jack Warren saw both captains leave the action as the game entered its final phase.
With Irlam still 2-1 up and the game in extra time, Eccleshall’s pressure finally told, but in an unexpected fashion.
In the dying seconds of the game, Eccleshall were awarded a corner, allowing McEleny to leave his goal to join the already congested Irlam penalty box, only for the Eccleshall keeper to connect with the ball to head home the equaliser as the final whistle blew, a result that left Irlam manager Steve Nixon speechless as the game ended 2-2
IRLAM FC are at home again this weekend, the visitors to Silver St are Stoke side Hanley Town. Kickoff is 3pm