Midland Football Alliance Division One
Ellesmere Rangers 2, Heath Hayes 3
ELLESMERE'S failure to take chances yet again caused their downfall.
On 14 minutes a cross into the box was helped on by Webb to substitute Rory Griffiths whose header was brilliantly parried by the Hayes 'keeper only for Griffiths to pull the loose ball back to Kenny Paul whose goal bound shot was blocked on the line.
The second half was only minutes old when Ellesmere were dealt a sucker blow when a ball into the box was chested down by Heath Hayes forward Chris Deakin who swivelled and fired home past the unsuspecting Andy Mulliner.
Five minutes later it got even worse for Ellesmere when full back Dan Griffiths' back pass was intercepted by Hayes forward Dave Warpole who calmly slotted the ball past the helpless Mulliner.
Ellesmere were shell shocked and on 65 minutes Heath Hayes could have gone further ahead only for Andy Mulliner to pull off a magnificent save at the feet of striker Chris Deakin.
Ellesmere finally got a break when Eddie Hope converted a penalty after a foul on Craig Farr. With Ellesmere pushing for the equaliser a quick counter attack saw Heath Hayes retain their two-goal advantage when Hayes forward Dave Warpole headed home after Andy Mulliner had brilliantly tipped a first time shot from Chris Deakin onto the bar.
Straight from the kick off an Eddie Hope cross into the box was cleared to Ellesmere's Kevin Renshaw who scored the goal of the game, volleying home a left foot strike from outside the box. I
n the dying minutes Kenny Paul saw his header crash against the bar and cleared to safety.
On Wednesday evening Ellesmere travel to top of the table Tipton Town, and on Saturday, Ellesmere are at home to Pilkington XXX in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase with a 3pm kick off.