FOLLOWING heavy overnight rain, an early morning inspection was requested by local referee Marvyn Amphlett before Eccleshall were given the okay to travel from Stafford for this Express & Star Division One League Cup fixture.

MALVERN RANGERS 5, ECCLESHALL RES 4

Rangers opened the scoring after ten minutes when Marc Lines and Stuart Harvey combined with the final strike being thought to be that of Lines but both players confirmed afterwards that it was Stuart Harvey who got the final touch. Shortly afterwards Michael Oscar hit the crossbar for the visitors which proved to be a rare attack as Rangers had the majority of play but failed to capitalise during the opening 30 minutes.

After 32 minutes Eccleshall equalised following a right wing corner leaving Dean Cutler with a free unchallenged header at the far post.

Just three minutes later however a degree of sanity was restored when Rangers went ahead again when Cyril Dowling played an astute ball through for Harvey to score at the far post.

However two minutes before the interval Eccleshall equalised again when a strong run down the right resulted in Sean Lynch putting the cross in to his own goal.

The visitors looked somewhat more sprightly in the second half and took the lead 15 minutes into the half, a right wing corner was played back to Paul Cox on the edge of the penalty area and he fired into the roof of the net.

Howeve,r five minutes later parity was restored when Simon Rea combined with Stuart Harvey, whose cross to the far post was met by Marc Lines to equalise.

After 26 minutes Rangers took the lead again when Simon Rea played the ball wide to Rob Perrins whose cross to the far post was met by Harvey to complete his hat-trick.

At this stage there looked no way back for the visitors but on 40 minutes they equalised when a through ball in to the box saw Kevin Page looking well offside chesting the ball down and rifling it into the back of the net. The visitors joy was short lived however as one minute later new signing Chris Allen scored what proved to be the winning goal following a pass from Marc Lines.

Man of the Match: Stuart Harvey.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Rangers, sponsored by Willie Thornes Snooker Club, resume league action when they travel to Chaddesley Corbett, kick off 1.45pm, players to meet Brooklyn Motors 11.45am, The Swan, Whittington at noon.

Rangers will also face Chaddesley Corbett at the same venue in the semi-final of the Worcester Nursing Junior Cup on January 5, 2002.

Rangers will not now have a fixture on December 29 as the Malvern Council are on holiday and pitches will not be available.