Ladies get ‘bach’ in business

RUNCORN LINNETS LADIES 6 SANDBACH LADIES 1 LINNETS finally got their act together to win their first round Cheshire Ladies Cup home tie at Moss Farm in Northwich after a stunning turnaround.

But a spirited Sandbach side held their own for nearly an hour.

The technically gifted visitors showed their intent from the off, forcing a string of corners in the first 10 minutes without genuinely threatening.

The lethargic Linnets’ first touch on the ball was invariably disappointing and they were wasteful in position while failing to make the most of a dozen first-half goal attempts.

In stoppage time before the break, the inevitable happened as Sandbach scored a wonderful goal from distance, beating Rebekah Durr high to her left.

At half-time as the Linnets switched formation from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.

They also resisted the temptation to move club record goal scorer Megan Pickering back to centre-forward from an emergency centre-half position.

The half-time team talk had an immediate effect with Lile Ashley latching on to a Lucy Wieland pass to equalise on 48 minutes. Four minutes later, Chelsea Gillies burst into the box to beat the keeper with a high shot.

As the young Sandbach side tired, the Linnets turned the screw with three goals in as many minutes.

Gillies provided Kim Roberts the opportunity to score on 66 minutes then Ashley outpaced the visiting defence to pounce while Roberts added her second.

Ellie Isherwood replaced Ashley on 75 minutes and her first contribution was to successfully follow in on a Carlson shot for 6-1.

Runcorn replaced full backs Nicola Hyland and Mary Rossiter-Gurrell in a like for like double substitution. Caitlin Gibbons and Gabby Evans joined the game with the hosts out of sight.

Another Carlson effort was tipped onto the bar in the 79th minute.