Ellison laments spots of bother
● Runcorn Linnets goalkeeper Matty Holmes catches the ball under pressure during the derby clash with Widnes FC at the Select Security Stadium on Monday evening.
RUNCORN LINNETS manager Michael Ellison admitted he was still upset after Monday night’s top-of-thetable defeat to Widnes FC – but believes his side will learn from the last-gasp loss.
Ben Hodkinson slotted home a penalty four minutes into second half stoppage-time – after George Lomax’s opener had been cancelled out by Freddie Potter – to consign Linnets to their second defeat against Widnes in a matter of weeks.
Ellison, though, was raging about events that unfolded after their winning goal.
“Yes, it’s a penalty for Widnes,” he admitted. “But we had one 30 seconds later at the other end.
“It was the exact same foul – a clear, stonewall penalty – and the referee didn’t give it so it’s tough to take, especially when their player who committed the foul admits at the end it was a penalty. “It’s tough to take, it really is.” The Linnets boss – whose side are still seven points clear at the top of the Hallmark Security League Premier Division – reckons Widnes rode their luck during the game, too.
He said: “We dominated it for 90 minutes.
“First half we dominated without making too many chances and then conceded from a setpiece again.
“Our keeper, Matty Holmes, has held his hands up. He’s dropped it from the delivery but then second half we’ve come out, got the goal which we deserved and should have got a second.”
Ellison added: “We hit the woodwork four times and had two cleared off the line, so you’re really pleased with the performance but then we don’t defend properly.
“It’s still just hard to take when you go down the other end and don’t get your own penalty, but you’ve got to digest it and take the positives which there are many – but then they still have’t scored a goal against us from open play!”
Ellison laughs as he recalls this fact before revealing there will not be many changes to his side ahead of this weekend’s clash with Ashton Athletic at Brocstedes Park (kick-off 3pm).
“We’ve dominated the last three games and won two of them,” he said.
“We’ve been on the end of a later winner in the other, but we’ve done that ourselves this season.
“I think its important you feel the other side of that so you can learn from it and you know it hurts.
“It’s just about doing the same things again, so I don’t think I’ll be changing things massively.”
Linnets are without a midweek match next week. ● There was better news for the club and in particular Paul Shanley this week as he has been named as the Hallmark Security League’s Macron Premier Division Player of the Month for February after winning Runcorn’s corresponding Millbank honour.
Shanley is the fourth Linnets player to scoop League Player of the Month awards this season, following the successes of Stuart Wellstead, Danny O’Brien and Freddie Potter.