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COMPETITIVE football made a long-awaited return to the Millbank Linnets Stadium on Saturday with a rare home FA Cup tie acting as the curtain raiser to a much-anticipated 2017-18 season.
Fate being what it is, the cup draw gods decided to pitch the Linnets against Hemsworth Miners Welfare of the Northern Counties East League for the third time in six seasons at this stage of the competition.
The Yorkshire outfit had come up trumps on both previous occasions, most recently in Michael Ellison’s first game in charge of the club exactly a year ago to the day.
Due to several regulars missing for Linnets through holidays, injuries and suspensions from last season, Ellison blooded two of his new signings, James Moore making his debut at centre-back and Terry Smith coming in between the sticks having only signed for the club last Thursday night.
As is often the case, the match itself perhaps failed to reach the heights of the occasion. Neither side ever really managed to take control of the game how they would have liked.
The Linnets started to exert some sustained pressure on their opponents as the half wore on, and RUNCORN Linnets Ladies were beaten 4-3 in the Potteries on Sunday despite a late rally against a welldrilled Abbey Hulton – a team that had finished runners-up in Division One of the Staffs County League last season while also winning the division’s League Cup.
The Linnets went behind to a long-range effort on six minutes before responding well with the equaliser through Lile Ashley 30 seconds later. duly took the lead on 25 minutes.
Danny McKenna’s throw near the corner flag found Kris Holt on the left wing to turn back on to his stronger right foot and send a delicious curling cross into the penalty area. This was met perfectly by Linnets skipper Kyle Hamid to head his side into the lead.
It took a stunning save from Jacob Collier in the Miners goal to prevent the hosts doubling their lead soon after then Hemsworth were reduced to 10 men not long before half-time when an over-the-top tackle by David Briggs felled Holt right in front of the Linnets dugout.
This sparked a mass coming together of players and coaches from both teams but the referee kept his composure and after the melee had settled, gave Briggs a straight red card.
The Linnets struggled to make the man advantage pay but the result was finally put beyond doubt when Paul Shanley was allowed to bring the ball down at the far post and square a pass for Michael Simpson to slam the ball home from eight yards
Linnets visit familiar surroundings in the preliminary round when they head to fellow Hallmark Security League Premier Division side Ashton Athletic on August 19.
The hosts regained the lead on 22 minutes but the Linnets had chances to level before the break, failing to capitalise.
The second half began with some good interplay between Lucy Wieland and newcomer Aimee Dobinson, the latter going close at the near post.
Tempany Carlson struck one post in the 61st minute and skimmed another as the Linnets looked the more likely to score but, as in the previous week’s match, they were undone by a long ball as the home side increased their lead.
This became 4-1 on 75 minutes before a late Linnets comeback with goals from the penalty spot by Megan Pickering and a shot from outside the box from Chelsea Wharton.
Manager John Pickering will be hoping he has a full squad to pick from when the Cheshire Women’s League campaign starts in September.