Points are dropped in poor week for Linnets
RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 2 ABBEY HEY ................................................ 2 UNCORN LINNETS eased into a winning position only to lose their way in as they surrendered further ground on the pacesetters in the Hallmark Security League Premier Division last Saturday afternoon.
Two goals up and cruising at halftime, third-placed Linnets would have been out of sight at the break but for two superb saves from Abbey Hey’s keeper Elliot Wynne.
However, the dynamic of the game changed soon upon the restart as the visitors pulled a goal back and insecurities hanging over from the punishing 3-1 midweek defeat at AFC Liverpool – Linnets’ poorest performance of the season – resurfaced.
A disappointing five days was rounded off when Saturday’s visitors snatched a last-gasp equaliser, leaving Runcorn to rue Wynne’s heroics, defensive lapses and a missed penalty by skipper Kyle Hamid with the score at 2-1.
Mark Houghton, Linnets’ 15-goal joint top scorer, had still not recovered from the injury – a frightful headlong collision with a pitch perimeter barrier – which had forced his substitution midway through the AFC Liverpool game.
Happily, hospital checks had shown there to be no serious damage and the striker was at the ground to watch from the sidelines as Brian Matthews, having replaced him at Marine Travel Arena, came in for his home debut.
Danny O’Brien resumed at right-back after a lengthy injury absence while there were recalls for left-back Danny McKenna, midfielder Adam Wade and Antony Hickey wide right in attack.
Before kick-off, all inside the Millbank Linnets Stadium observed a minute’s silence in tribute to those who had lost their lives in the Colombia air disaster, imvolving the Brazilian football club, Chapecoense.
Runcorn’s first half performance was such that there was no reason to suggest that the reshuffle to a more familiar lineup from that which had started in midweek would not work.
Matthews, newly arrived from Prest-
R● wich Heys without ever having played for the Manchester outfit, had opened his account for Linnets after just six minutes – a deft header from Paul Shanley’s cross supplementing his tally of 16 goals in 24 appearances this term for Linnets’ Premier Division rivals, Congleton.
The hosts increased their lead in the 20th minute with a controversial second. Wade was initially credited with the goal, stemming from a right-wing cross by Hickey, but Matthews got a decisive touch on the shot from just outside the box.
That was the bone of contention for Abbey Hey as the striker was probably in an offside position. However, the effort was allowed to stand.
Abbey Hey had Elliot to thank for not conceding at least twice more as he produced too great stops to deny Shanley, the first of these at his top left corner.
The saves were the inspiration for a stunning fightback from the team from Manchester.
Within three minutes of the restart, the game took on a different complexion altogether as the Linnets were caught out by a cross which resulted in Hey halving their arrears with a looping Nico Collins header.
Even then, Linnets had an opportunity to put the contest to bed when Shanley was upended in the box. But after seemingly waiting an age to take it, Hamid’s spot-kick was tame.
This time, the luck was with Abbey Hey – in saving comfortably, Wynne had been well off his line as the ball was struck.
Wynne piled on the agony for Linnets by moving across goal to reach and tip over an excellent, curling free-kick from McKenna, reminiscent the set-piece from which the defender had scored at Maine Road earlier in the campaign.
But the pain was nothing to that felt when, with three minutes left on the clock, Oliver Ford nipped in to exploit a misunderstanding to level.
Runcorn’s defending had become increasingly haphazard as the game went on, and Ford capitalised.
Viewed in perspective, the last two results must be seen as a blip rather than a crisis.
Even so, manager Michael Ellison will be demanding, and needs, the right response in this Saturday’s home league game against New Mills to repair shaken confidence. AFC LIVERPOOL ....................................... 3 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 1 THE last day of November 2016 was a day to forget as Runcorn Linnets turned in comfortably their most lacklustre performance under Michael Ellison’s stewardship when going down 3-1 at AFC Liverpool, who deserved their victory.
AFC Liverpool took the lead early on when a cross from the left was headed down into the danger area, and livewire Emini Adegbenro raced onto the loose ball to poke it past Tom Hunt.
The evening turned all the more bleak for the Linnets midway through the half when frontman Mark Houghton, ultracommitted as ever, threw in a challenge on the byeline with momentum carrying him head first into an advertising board. He received treatment as the game continued and deserved enormous credit for returning to the field of play in a ‘Terry Butcher’- style head bandage.
However, he had to be withdrawn at half-time and was taken to hospital for a precautionary check.
AFC’s very pacy attack caused the Linnets back four problems all night when playing on the counterattack. Adegbenro, in particular, was a painful thorn, and when two AFC players chased down a back-pass to Hunt, their endeavours were rewarded. Hunt’s clearance smacked into Adegbenro and rolled straight towards the empty net, presenting the forward with a simple finish.
After the break Linnets changed shape to a 4-4-2 and it seemed that the luck might be about to change as AFC were reduced to 10 men, the referee correctly awarding Josh Essery a second yellow card for a foul on Stuart Wellstead.
The three points were secured by the home side with 12 minutes to go. A poor pass out from the back fell straight to Jason Carey, who looked up and struck a thunderbolt from the halfway line. It caught Hunt, understandably, out of position and the ball flew into the net.
The edge was taken off the scoreline when Antony Hickey tapped-in from close-range for a late consolation goal.