Town make progress in the Vase and league
RUNCORN TOWN ...................................... 4 WINSFORD UNITED ................................. 1
RUNCORN Town moved into the second qualifying round of the FA Vase with a 4-1 victory over Winsford United at Pavilions, setting up a trip to AFC Blackpool later this month.
Kevin Exell opened the scoring on 21 minutes when he slotted the ball home from 20 yards after good work by Craig Cairns on the right hand side.
Both sides had chances to score in what was an open game, but it was not until the 54th minute that the second goal arrived, Cairns notching his 11th goal of the season from the spot after a foul on Simon Thelwell.
Winsford reduced the arrears just after the hour when a powerful 20-yard shot from Nathan Cotterill was straight at Louie Mackin only for the speed of the shot to take it past him and into the net.
But a second penalty on 78 minutes restored Town’s two-goal lead.
Great work from Exell on the right saw him fouled as he entered the box with Joe Holt finding the net from 12 yards this time.
The final goal arrived in stoppage time when a corner not cleared by Winsford ended with Matty Woodward stabbing the ball home from a couple of yards out. MAINE ROAD ............................................. 2 RUNCORN TOWN ...................................... 3 TOWN moved up to third in the Hallmark Security League Premier Division after a 3-2 victory at Maine Road on Monday evening – but they had to do it the hard way after conceding twice in the last 10 minutes.
The opening exchanges saw chances at both ends, before Town opened the scoring on 22 minutes with Kevin Exell slotting home from 12 yards after good work by Dave Forbes.
Maine Road ended the half strongly, with Louie Mackin keeping Town ahead at the break with a great save from Remero Coley.
Bradley Woods replaced Exell at halftime after the midfielder took a knock opening the scoring, and with 20 minutes remaining Town doubled the lead from the penalty spot, Craig Cairns rifling in his 12th goal of the season.
Maine Road could have been put out of sight, but the score was halved on 84 minutes when substitute Ryan Steele bent a superb effort into the top left hand corner.
And 60 seconds later the scores were level when Steele curled home a 35-yarder over Mackin.
Thoughts of last season came flooding back after Town surrendered a two-goal lead to lose the encounter 3-2.
This time, though, Runcorn went up the other end of the field and added a third goal.
Town pressed right from the kick-off with Cairns heading the ball past home keeper Ryan Livesey from close-range after a superb cross from the right.
Maine Road threatened late on with Mackin making two great saves in stoppage time, but Town hung on for the victory making it 18 points from their opening nine matches of the campaign.