Hotshot Moxam straight back on the goals trail for Shirebrook

Two more crucial goals from Toolsport NCEL Division One’s top scorer Aaron Moxam helped Shirebrook Town take all three points against promotion rivals Eccleshill United with a 2-1 win at Langwith Road on Saturday.

Moxam is on fire again after returning to the side with three goals in two games, after serving what seemed to be a harsh three-match ban.

However, with both sides needing the win to help keep them in touch with the other sides currently heading the division, it always promised to be a tight affair.

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With both sides having to name starting 11s that were short of regular faces, that’s just how it started, cagey and with most of the action restricted to midfield, with neither side wanting to be the first to concede.

The game had to wait until the 18th minute for the first serious threat on goal, Eccleshill’s own top scorer Marcus Edwards drilling the ball wide of the near post from just inside the Shirebrook box after it was worked into him from the left.

It all got to be too much for Eccleshill manager Lee Duxbury, the frustrated former Bradford City midfielder needing to be sent from the dugout on 24 minutes by the match referee, after being spoken to on several occasions for leaving his technical area to remonstrate with his side and the officials.

Nonetheless, Shirebrook’s first real chance of the game came just after the half-hour, Moxam latching onto Eccleshill skipper Jermaine Springer’s weak headed backpass, but his shot from the edge of the box flew harmlessly over the visitors’ crossbar.

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Meanwhile, Edwards went close again five minutes later at the other end, this time from a 25-yard free-kick that went through an ineffective Shirebrook wall, but straight into the safe arms of home keeper Sam Andrew after bouncing once in front of him.

With that the half had 0-0 written all over it, but all of that changed going into time added on at the end when a ball down the right from Danny Booth sent Antony Rowley on his way, and the winger’s low cross, pulled back from out wide on the byline, couldn’t have been much better.

It had central defender Springer in trouble at the near post and the ball went through to Moxam waiting near the front edge of the six-yard area, before he calmly dribbled it around Eccleshill keeper Brandon Roslund, finding the back of the open net to give Shirebrook a precious 1-0 lead going into the interval.

It was the home side that began the second half the better, Rowley in particular presenting a threat to the visitors with his speed and crosses from out wide down their left.

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However, Eccleshill weren’t done and Edwards had a clear sight of goal at the other end just before the hour, but a deflection took his 18-yard shot wide of the target, making it easy for Andrew to mop up the bits in the box outside his right hand post.

Shirebrook’s one-goal lead looked likely not to be enough six minutes later when Eccleshill substitute Taylor Diem tumbled in the box under a double challenge from central defenders Ross Henshaw and Mark Camm, which had the assistant flagging for a penalty and left the referee pointing to the spot in agreement.

Up stepped Edwards and he found a way past Andrew in the Shirebrook goal, despite the keeper diving right but still getting a hand to the kick, which went straight down the middle to level the scores.

Nonetheless, Shirebrook seemed to get a second wind after that and Moxam found the target three minutes later with a first time half-volley from just inside the Eccleshill box, but it was straight at keeper Roslund.

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Danny Claridge then went close five minutes later with a header that went wide of the back post after running in behind to connect with Ben Cobley’s ball into the box from the right.

Shirebrook were racking up the pressure and, with 12 minutes to go, it suddenly got harder for the visitors when Eccleshill skipper Springer was red-carded after bringing Moxam down when he was 22 yards out and bearing down on goal.

However, at least Roslund was equal to Cobley’s free kick that followed and, three minutes later, Edwards found some space for himself at the other end, although he was only able to hit the outside of the sidenetting after drawing Andrew out of his goal.

Two minutes after that, Moxam had a glorious chance for Shirebrook after a ball from Bradley in the box on the right put him in, but he was somehow denied by Roslund at the near post.

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Three minutes later Moxam fired just over the left hand upright after good work again by Bradley had created the opening.

It looked like the goal wasn’t going to come, but, with two minutes of normal time remaining, Bradley found Jordan Hall just outside the Eccleshill box with a short ball from the right.

There was no way through for the Shirebrook midfielder, but he slipped the ball left to Moxam who’d found himself some room, and he wasn’t going to be denied this time as he drilled his 16-yard shot across the visitors’ goal and inside the net at the far post.

With not much time remaining for Eccleshill to salvage something, it only remained for Shirebrook to see the game safely out, although Moxam might have bagged himself a hat-trick in the final minute of three minutes of added time with a 14-yard shot at the right hand post, but Roslund wouldn’t be beaten again.

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The win moved Shirebrook up one place to fifth in the table, seven points behind both second-placed Shaw Lane Aquaforce and third-placed Cleethorpes Town, who share the same number of points, only separated by goal difference.

Eight points ahead of them, Scunthorpe side Bottesford Town are the current leaders and they look to be a sure bet for promotion at this stage.

That makes it a massive must-win seven days for ambitious Shirebrook who travel to Cleethorpes Town on Wednesday, before making the trip to Barnsley-based Shaw Lane Aquaforce on Saturday.

SHIREBROOK TOWN: Andrew, Cobley, Hanson, Booth, Henshaw, M Camm, Rowley, Hall, Moxam, Ryan (Bradley 64), Claridge (Thompson 74). Subs not used: Bacon, Barratt.

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ECCLESHILL UNITED: Roslund, Shefte, Tarrango, Springer, Patillo, Coniff (Diem H/T), Sanchez, Barakat (Man H/T), Edwards, McCabe, Trease. Subs not used: Isaacs, Smith.

REFEREE: Robert Rees of Derbyshire.

ATTENDANCE: 124.

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