Ladies fail to build on superb start and pay price for poor defending

W’shawe Am Ladies 4 Runcorn Linnets Ladies 2 A SUBDUED Runcorn Linnets Ladies side crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Hollyhedge Park against Wythenshawe Amateurs Ladies on Sunday.

Both teams observed a minute’s silence before kick-off on Remembrance Sunday.

Runcorn looked pretty comfortable in the first half with goals from Megan Pickering after only two minutes and Chelsea Gillies on 16 minutes but they were twice undone by the home team.

Both Wythenshawe goals resulted from some sloppy Runcorn defending.

Having endured facing a blinding sun in the first half, fate intervened at half time with the rays disappearing giving the home side a much more comfortable rearguard action in terms of the weather conditions.

This was not an excuse, however, as Wythenshawe were by far the better team albeit a touch one-dimensional and predictable in their play.

The second half was a tale of the Linnets’ season so far – no consistency of performance.

To date it’s either been brilliant or woeful with nothing in between.

Further goals in the last 15 minutes, included a penalty for handball on the line.

The disappointing aspect from a Linnets’ point of view is the only time they upped the tempo – and this was not the first time in the campaign this has happened – was when they were behind and it was too late.

Only then do you see any resemblance of grit and determination and the ‘real Linnets’.

Manager John Pickering has the majority of last season’s squad still intact but has a big job on his hands to find the answers to his side’s unpredictable form so far.

The failure to press on when in front has cost them dearly already. ● Chelsea Gillies netted in a losing cause for Runcorn Linnets Ladies.