WITH two of the five Toolstation Northern Counties East League representatives from the area not in action this weekend, the game of the day for the locals was Eccleshill United hosting Dronfield Town in Division One, and it didn’t disappoint.

The Eagles edged a nail-biting seven goal thriller thanks to a Luke Harrop hat-trick but they should have been home and dry after racing into a three-goal lead.

Harrop opened the scoring in the fourth minute when he slotted in low after being found by an excellent through ball from Charlie Flaherty.

Antony Brown doubled the home side’s advantage from the penalty spot after he had been brought down.

Soon after the half-hour, Harrop bagged his brace, sweeping home at the far post after a wayward Ben Hardy shot, but the visitors fought back with Ryan Baxter bagging a late first-half double.

Harrop’s treble was completed from the spot after the Eagles were awarded a second penalty, this time for a foul on Scott Manning, but there was a nervy ending after Dronfield’s Daniel Wood made it 4-3 in the 83rd minute.

The Eagles remain third, just two points off the summit, while rivals Campion are back in the play-off places after a 2-1 win at East Yorkshire Carnegie.

Brighton Mugadza gave the Bradford side a 16th-minute lead with the only goal of the first half.

Graham Hall then added Campion’s second before the home side’s Jordan Harrison netted an 87th-minute consolation.

Thackley suffered another home defeat in the Premier Division as mid-table rivals Hall Road Rangers opened a three-point gap between the clubs with a 4-2 victory.

The visitors opened the scoring through Tom Bennett but the Dennyboys hit back immediately through Julius Omosebi. However, Rangers’ Josh Batty restored their lead midway through the first half.

That was how it remained until the last quarter-hour when a quick-fire double took the game away from Thackley.

Bennett bagged his brace, and Gareth Owen scored the visitors’ fourth before the Dennyboys reduced the arrears with a late Mike Garrod penalty.