Mitch in time to help Runcorn beat Linnets
BURSCOUGH .............................................. 0 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 1
RUNCORN LINNETS downed the Linnets of Burscough on Saturday afternoon but not without a late fight.
It has been well over a decade since the Runcorn faithful made the journey to the West Lancashire club.
Burscough supporters have had as much of a rollercoaster ride as Runcorn’s fans since they last met – from the dizzy heights of an FA Trophy Final triumph at Villa Park back in May, 2003 (during Wembley’s reconstruction) to the low of sitting in bottom place of the Hallmark Security League Premier Division table, with no league wins so far this season, following relegation from the Evo-Stik League Division One North last term.
On paper this was a game that looked like a routine three points for the visitors, hot in form and looking to put last Wednesday’s draw at Hanley behind them, while Burscough are struggling to get any sort of momentum going in the league. However, a recent 7-1 victory in the FA Vase shows that they do have it in the locker.
Freddie Potter made a long-awaited start after a lengthy collarbone injury, with youngster Adam Jones celebrating his 21st birthday with a start on the right of midfield. The bench had an attacking feel to it with Mitch Bryant, Mark Houghton, Anthony Hickey and Zac Aley all ready if required.
Runcorn Linnets hit the ascendancy from the very start. Paul Shanley went close early on with a dipping free-kick before a series of headed attempts from Potter and Stu Wellstead all found the arms of the grateful home goalkeeper Joshua Samberg.
A great chance went begging midway through the half when Shanley breezed past his marker and squared to Potter, who tried to guide the ball into the far corner, but could only place it marginally the wrong side of the post as far as Runcorn were concerned.
Another decent opportunity came soon after when a cross came in from the Runcorn left and found Wellstead with possibly too much time to pick his spot with a header from eight yards out. It came crashing back off the crossbar with Samberg stranded.
In and amongst the away side’s ● chances, Burscough did have the odd flurry of their own but they were wasteful when finding good positions. None of their attempts left goalkeeper Matt Holmes needing to make a save.
Holmes himself almost turned provider for the opening goal as a long kick up field evaded everyone, including Samberg and set Wellstead in with an open goal. The usually lethal frontman dwelled on the ball for a split second too long and when he got his shot away, he was denied by a stunning save from Samberg throwing himself upon the ball out of nowhere.
Danny O’Brien had to be withdrawn as the half wore on, an ankle injury sustained 20 minutes earlier becoming too much to bear. He was replaced by Bryant which forced a change in shape from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.
Bryant and Potter led the attack as a pair with Jones dropping to right-back in place of O’Brien.
There’s no question that this disrupted the visitors’ stranglehold on the game and the chances that were being created with ease suddenly became hard to come by.
The second half proved to be a slightly disjointed showing from Runcorn, unable to regain a dominance of proceedings. Burscough played a much bigger role in the fixture as their belief grew that they could get something out of the game.
It was something of a relief when Michael Ellison’s men finally broke the seal near the hour mark with a fine counter-attacking goal.
Kyle Hamid picked out Potter on the left with a superb 40-yard crossfield ball that caught Burscough flat-footed. Potter produced a sublime cross into the penalty area that was begging to be finished.
Bryant made no mistake as he planted a firm header into the far corner of the net. The pass from Hamid, the cross from Potter and the header from Bryant were all out of the very top drawer.
Runcorn pushed hard for an immediate second but were thwarted by committed defending and goalkeeping by Burscough. Potter and Michael Simpson both had rasping drives from outside the penalty area saved before an in-swinging corner caused chaos in the Burscough penalty area. The ball was eventually scooped off the goalline and hoofed clear.
Burscough rallied in the last 20 minutes, in particular using their pacy wingers to try and force an opening.
Much credit should be given to Holmes and his back four for soaking up the pressure and not allowing the hosts a single shot on goal despite them getting in plenty of promising positions.
Mark Houghton and Anthony Hickey were introduced in place of Jones and Potter as manager Ellison looked to get a conclusive second goal.
Vice-captain Houghton came agonisingly close when he headed Simpson’s corner goalwards only for a defender on the line to shin the ball around the foot of the post.
The visitors wore the clock down by holding the ball by the corner flag and held out for a hard-fought victory against plucky opponents, whose performance belied their lowly league position.
This game was the fifth consecutive away league fixture for Runcorn, who have returned an impressive 13 points from those games.
Attention now turns to their first foray of the season in the FA Vase, as Linnets make the long journey up to the North East on Saturday to take on Team Northumbria, who currently sit mid-table in the Northern League Division One. HANLEY TOWN ......................................... 1 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 1 RUNCORN LINNETS lost a chance to trim Runcorn Town’s advantage at the top of the Premier Division when they could only draw 1-1 with Hanley Town last Wednesday night.
It was a night to forget for Linnets in many ways as they finished the clash with only eight players – Aaron Morris, Kyle Hamid and Antony Hickey were all red-carded late in the contest.
After a scoreless opening period, Runcorn went ahead on 57 minutes when Stuart Wellstead nodded in from closerange. And they held on until four minutes from time when Oliver Mellor netted for the Potteries outfit.
In a truly chaotic ending, Hickey saw red for a rash challenge before he was soon followed to the dressing room by Hamid and Morris after they collected their second yellow cards of the game.
But the dismissals came too late to make any difference to the final result.