Sandbach started the stronger side and put the Eccleshall defence under serious pressure early on, with forwards Josh Oultram, George Kattah and Kieran Alley all heavily involved in chance creation.

It was Eccleshall who took the lead in the 32nd minute against the run of play as Sandbach didn’t get a cross clear, and a header was bundled over the line from close range.

The Ramblers almost drew level immediately from the restart when Alley let fly from 22 yards, but his strike was inches wide of the post.

Fitzpatrick showed remarkable skill in the 40th minute to breeze past his marker before sending a low ball into Kattah, who’s effort struck the inside of the post and flew across the line into the grateful arms of the goalkeeper.

Only 6 minutes into the second half, Fitzpatrick brought Sandbach level after a flurry of chances for the Ramblers. After 2 successive corners for Sandbach resulted in desperate goalmouth scrambles, the third dropped to the feet of Fitzpatrick who cannoned a strike in off the underside of the crossbar.

Alley almost put Sandbach in front in the 59th minute with a thunderous shot from just inside the box, but a brave Eccleshall block prevented the effort from reaching the goal with the keeper reduced to a spectator for the strike.

Fitzpatrick scored his second of the game in the 67th minute after a whipped Oultram cross was unselfishly headed back by Kattah to the unmarked Fitzpatrick who steered a left-footed volley into the bottom left corner.

The Sandbach double goal-scorer almost earned himself a hat-trick in the 75th minute as he leapt highest to meet a corner with his head, but the effort was too high and sailed over the bar.

Sandbach were happy to defend their lead as the clock ran down, but a valiant Eccleshall side who had battled all game were pressing for an equaliser, coming closest through Mitch Glover deep into stoppage time as he saw a sweetly-struck shot whistle wide of the post.

Shortly after, the full-time whistle confirmed victory for a Sandbach side who move joint-seventh in the North West Counties South Division table, ahead of their trip to Droylsden.