Ecclesfield undertook a course of special training for the match, and "for nearly three hours a continuous stream of spectators passed along the Pitsmoor Road" from the village.

However Ecclesfield's more brutal style of play worked against them - two players, trying to sandwich Stratford, instead collided with each other, and although both continued, neither made any further contribution to the match.

[5] However at that stage Derby County proved too strong, winning 6–0, although Ecclesfield did have some chances, including hitting the bar in the second half.

Ecclesfield joined the Sheffield and District League on its foundation in 1889,[7] and came close to the championship in 1890–91, finishing 2nd, one point behind Kilnhurst.

However, after finishing near the bottom of the district league in 1892–93, the club was more or less defunct, its final recorded match being a 7–0 defeat in the Sheffield Cup at Wednesday Reserves.