Communication issues contribute to defeat at league pacesetters
RUNCORN LINNETS LADIES 1 WYTHENSHAW AMS LADIES 4 IN a fixture switched to Wythenshawe’s artificial pitch at Newell Green High School due to a frozen surface at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, Linnets succumbed to the Cheshire Women’s League’s top side – although most impartial spectators would certainly have agreed the final scoreline flattered the Mancunians.
Lile Ashley had a shot tipped onto the crossbar after just nine seconds and had the Linnets taken a gilt-edged chance on two minutes, the result might have been a different story.
Runcorn were dealt an early blow as the influential Becky Barker could take no further part due to injury. Her place was taken by Tish Collins, re-signed in the transfer window along with Marcia Jones-Sacharewicz.
Wythenshawe went in front on four minutes with a high shot beating Megan Pickering, who faced a blinding sun in the first half in Linnets’ goal.
Ellie Isherwood thought she had equalised on nine minutes but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for a very marginal offside.
Wythenshawe then went further ahead on 14 minutes with both these early goals being poor defensively on the Linnets behalf as they this time they allowed a ball from a corner to bounce around in their own box.
The young Wythenshawe side have an abundance of pace and quality but Linnets missed another golden scoring opportunity on 21 minutes before Ashley struck the bar again and Chelsea Gillies then hit a post. It was one-way traffic towards the break.
Jones-Sacharewicz and Nichola Hyland replaced Isherwood and Mary RossiterGurrell, respectively, at half-time.
Runcorn maintained the initiative at the beginning of the second half and were rewarded on 51 minutes as Ashley broke free amid shouts for offside, rolling a tantalising ● ball across the box for Lucy Wieland to tap in.
“It had been coming!” was the cry from the Wythenshawe bench.
If Linnets could have scored again at that stage, they would surely have gone on to win.
Instead, Wythenshawe capitalised on a Runcorn midfield mistake on the hour, restoring their two-goal cushion.
With the away side’s heads dropping, Wythenshawe scored a similar fourth goal eight minutes from time.
Mandy Kennedy was Linnets’ player-of-the-match, closely followed by birthday girl Gabby Evans, back to her best after serious injury.
A match-fit Linnets team would no doubt have won this game but this was their first outing since December 3.
It has been noticeable since the arrival of coach John Collins – to work alongside manager John Pickering and assistant boss/goalkeeping coach James Sidwell – how the players have responded to his unconventional style and constant encouragement.
They turned around a two-goal deficit against Egerton and dominated the middle period of this match.
On another day – with a bit of luck and clinical finishing – they could well have gone off at half-time with half a dozen goals to their credit but it was not to be on Sunday.
There can be no excuses, however, for lack of communication, now there is experience in every department and not just from their captain. Linnets players have got to take responsibility over a full 90 minutes.