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REPORT | Bulls 2-0 Eccleshill United


The Bulls returned to winning ways in the NCEL Premier Division as they edged past Eccleshill United to bounce back from a weekend defeat.


Ross Duggan's first-half brace was enough to secure the points in a well-contested match, although the Bulls never seem truly worried at the back.


The first real chance of the game, however, went to the visitors as Hugo Warhurst did well to tip Antony Brown's low effort away from goal.


Another big chance for Eccleshill and Brown came three minutes later, but the forward could only lift the ball over Warhurst's crossbar from inside the penalty area.


On 15 minutes Phil Buxton almost pulled the Bulls ahead but Eagles 'keeper Emmerson parried his point-blank range effort after a goal mouth scramble.


But the hosts would only have to wait another two minutes before taking the lead, as Connor McMillan beat the offside trap perfectly before delivering in from the right for talisman Ross Duggan to tap home for his tenth of the season.


The early goal provided the Bulls' number nine with extra confidence, and he fancied himself from distance after cleverly squeezing past several Eccleshill men, but could only fire straight at Emmerson.


Just after the half-hour mark, the lead was doubled as Jordan Annable's cross from deep was brought down brilliantly by Duggan, before he slotted under Emmerson for yet another brace.


The second half didn't nearly provide as many clear chances for either side as the Bulls looked to see the result out, but the visitors continued to look for a way back in and almost found it when an Eagles forward dragged a 20-yard effort only just wide.


Cameron Hough almost had the pick of the evening's goals with 15 left to play, but his dipping 30-yard effort dropped just over the Eccleshill crossbar.


Substitute Luke Walker then had the final clear chance as he was sent clean through on the left, but he hesitated and cleared the crossbar from inside the penalty area.


The victory pulls AFC up into fifth in the NCEL Premier Division, with another break from league football on the horizon with an FA Cup Preliminary Round trip to Heanor Town coming up on Saturday.

 

MATCH DETAILS


Final score | AFC Mansfield 2-0 Eccleshill United

Scorers | Duggan (17', 33')


AFC Mansfield XI | Warhurst (GK), Annable, Williams, McGuire, Darker, Hough, McMillan, Buxton (C), Duggan, Webster

Substitutes | Walker, Corder, Slone, Rigley (GK)

Yellow cards | N/A

Red cards | N/A


Eccleshill United XI | Emmerson (GK), Bradley, Stor, Omolokun, Sudgen, Stimpson, Basi (C), Najeh, Woodword, Brown, Lever, Buchanan

Substitutes | Moorhouse (GK), Kroma, Preston, Borek, Mohammed

Yellow cards | Borek (72')

Red cards | N/A


Man-of-the-Match | Jamie McGuire

Attendance | TBC

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