Local Sport

City fans treated for neck strains

The loyal ECFC fans who traveled up to Staffordshire for the Conference match against Stafford Rangers were rewarded with a 1-0 victory - and also numerous cases of neck strains from spending half the match watching the ball being lumped in the air by the Stafford back four.

A tactic not uncommon amongst the cloggers in the Conference, 'route 1' football is fairly endemic in the lower leagues as it requires only a very low level of ability amongst ball players, and a lanky giraffe-like creature as centre-forward.

However, with the departure of beanpole Steve Flack and the invention of new winger Lee Elam, ECFC are playing a slightly more cultured style. It was Elam's flick to Phillips which set up the only goal of the game, although Stafford did manage a number of conversions.