Town battle back to beat Barnoldswick
● RUNCORN TOWN ...................................... 3 BARNOLDSWICK TOWN ......................... 2
RUNCORN TOWN had to battle back from an interval deficit to claim maximum spoils in an entertaining clash with Barnoldswick Town last Saturday afternoon.
Following a morning pitch inspection this game at Pavilions got the go-ahead but both teams were faced with a heavy playing surface that cut up quite badly as the match progressed.
Runcorn started well and took the lead in the seventh minute with a quite superb goal.
Michael Carberry worked himself some space wide on the left before crossing to the far post for Mark Reed to rise and head a cushioned ball straight into the path of Craig Cairns who swept it first time past Barnoldswick goalkeeper Jordan Gidley from 10 yards.
The home side created numerous chances to increase their lead.
Craig Jones found Reed who brought a good save from Gidley before a good run by Liam Turner took him past three Barlick defenders but his final shot flew high over the bar.
Gidley then saved at full length, covering a shot from Cairns after Reed created the opening for his strike partner.
Just after the half-hour, Barnoldswick equalised against the run of play.
Following some good play down the left by Aaron Hollindrake, his eventual cross found Matthew Cavanagh who slotted the ball home.
Within a minute Barnoldswick had taken the lead.
Zach Dale spotted Terry McCormick off his line and perfectly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper from 30 yards.
The quick two-goal blast had clearly unsettled Runcorn but as half-time approached they almost equalised when Reed went clear but Gidley produced a superb diving one-on-one save to concede an unproductive corner and stop a certain goal. Chris Herbert’s outfit started the second half on the front foot.
An early chance fell to Cairns who hammered the ball high over the bar.
At the other end, Barnoldswick were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Town penalty area and keeper McCormick did well to produce a full-length save to push Harry Thompson’s low goalbound shot out for a corner.
Ten minutes into the period, Runcorn levelled. Following some good work from Aidan Roxburgh, Jones and Paul McManus combined for Reed to fire the ball home. Barnoldswick countered and it took a perfectly-timed last-ditch tackle by Michaek Johnson to prevent the Lan● ● cashire visitors retaking the lead.
In the 74th minute Town had a number of shots blocked in a massed goalmouth scramble that eventually resulted in a corner.
From the flag-kick, Roxburgh on the back post rolled the ball to Cairns in space for the captain to put his team ahead.
Soon after, Runcorn’s man-of-thematch Reed then played Cairns in but the forward’s resulting shot was lashed over the crossbar.
McManus then created space for Cairns who hit a fierce volley inches over the target from 20 yards.
As the match neared its conclusion, Reed hit the foot of an upright with a shot. The ball rebounded onto keeper Gidley, going out for another corner.
A late flag-kick to the visitors produced a loose ball that was smothered by McCormick to end the danger as Runcorn held out to claim the three important points.