A stoppage-time equaliser from Bobbie McDonnell ensured Sandbach remained unbeaten this season after drawing 1-1 against Ellesmere Rangers.

Andy Hockenhull named an unchanged starting lineup following the 6-0 demolition of St Martins in midweek, and they started the stronger side at Beech Grove, with Scott Evans putting a great cross into the box after 3 minutes but Declan O'Riordan's header flew wide.

Ellesmere Rangers, like the Ramblers, had won both league games so far this season and grew into the first half, beginning to take control of proceedings without truly threatening Danny Hamlett's goal.

Amir Hajri had the best chance of the match so far after 22 minutes when he turned a non-threatening pass into a dangerous shot when he hooked it towards the top corner with a left-footed volley, but it hit the side netting.

Joe Boswell in the Ellesmere goal was by far the busier of the two keepers and made several comfortable saves before his first real test on 44 minutes, when a powerful low shot from Robbie Hatton looked destined for the bottom right corner before a solid glove pushed it away for a corner.

Sandbach started the second looking to turn their chances into goals, and McDonnell came the closest after 55 minutes when he found himself through on goal. The pass to him was slightly too far away from the striker however, and his stretching effort to chip Boswell landed just over the bar.

Ellesmere were under a lot of Sandbach pressure during the second half, but it was the home side who opened the scoring around the hour mark when Dave Howarth unselfishly set the ball back for Niall Thomas to fire into the roof of the net, leaving Hamlett with no chance.

The Ramblers reacted well to going behind and hit the post on 63 minutes, when McDonnell hit a low shot off the woodwork from 16 yards. Despite relentless pressure from the visitors, the Ellesmere defence stood firm and were backed up by an inspired Boswell between the posts, who had made 10 saves by the time he was finally beaten.

Sandbach got the equaliser with their 12th shot on target of the match, and it was through the league top scorer McDonnell in the 92nd minute.

He brought down a hooked cross into the box with his chest, before swivelling on the spot and firing a low volley into the bottom left corner past the despairing dive of Boswell.

Shortly after the restart, the referee blew his whistle to confirm the points shared on a rainy afternoon on the Welsh border.

Sandbach return to Hind Heath Road for their next league game, where they face off against 15th-placed Eccleshall.