Captain Timons sent off as Shirebrook slide to defeat

Captain Chris Timons (left) was sent off to cap a bad day for Shirebrook Town.

Captain Timons received his second yellow card in injury-time as Shirebrook fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to title-chasing Eccleshill United.

Only moments earlier, new signing Alex Varley had marked his debut with a goal, pouncing in the box when a corner from Jordan Claxton caused panic in the Eccleshill box. But it was too little too late in front of a crowd of 103 because the visitors always looked the more likely side after making a strong start in which they created chance after chance. They finally went ahead in the 32nd minute when a free-kick was headed out only as far as Charlie Flaherty, whose half-volley from 25 yards found the bottom corner.

Shirebrook almost levelled when Claxton cut in for a shot that smacked against the bar, but Eccleshill had a goal disallowed for offside midway through the second half before doubling their lead on 82 minutes when Jonathan Irving converted a cross by Luke Harrop.

SHIREBROOK LINE-UP -- Squires/ Widdowson, Williams, Colton, Timons, Cheeseman (Varley), Claxton, Naylor, Herbert (Cooke), Watson, Clarke.