A good draw – but it should have been more
PADIHAM .................................................. 1 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 1
THE manner in which a result is decided can often take away from the positives of the result itself, and that that was very much the feeling among the Runcorn Linnets faithful leaving Padiham on Tuesday night.
On paper, a point against a strong Padiham is far from a bad one, but most will feel that this is a game which – for various reasons – should have yielded all three.
There was a rare change to the Linnets’ defensive unit, as the injured Aaron Morris watched from the terraces. Matty Atherton took the centre-back’s place and turned in an assured performance in one of his less frequent utility positions.
That was the only change to the side that had started at Congleton Town a week earlier.
The Linnets would go on to totally dominate the first half of this game and should have put the result beyond Padiham’s reach.
Linnets hit the bar early on, and Padiham forced Dylan Forth into a save as the game settled down.
Danny O’Brien almost opened the scoring with a free-kick which he curled low around the wall, but Padiham’s goalkeeper produced a terrifc save to turn the ball around the post at full stretch.
Stuey Wellstead found a yard of space to flash a shot wide of the post before Kyle Hamid flicked a header over the crossbar from Louis Corrigan’s corner.
The pressure was becoming relentless on Padiham’s goal. Kieron Nolan was next to go close when he shot through a crowd of bodies from outside the penalty area, the ball clipping the outside of the left post.
You felt that it was imperative that Linnets scored a goal while on top and the breakthrough came on the half hour.
Great interplay between Paul Shanley and Wellstead pulled Padiham out of position and when the ball was played to the edge of the penalty area, Kyle Hamid was lurking in the D. His first-time strike found the bottom corner of the net.
Almost immediately, Mark Houghton was withdrawn through injury and replaced by Freddie Potter.
The last chance of the half fell to Shanley, who was sent through on goal via a magnificent ball by Matty Atherton. He got a good strike at goal from a narrow angle but the keeper made another very good save.
It was 1-0 to Linnets at half-time and the performance had been superb. The ● only thing missing was another goal that would have been thoroughly deserved.
The second half would prove to be a much tighter affair with neither side able to take control.
The untimely withdrawal of Houghton had appeared to play right into Padiham’s hands. Their big defensive line that had been pulled from pillar to post in the first half but were much more resolute under the different threat that Potter brings.
Potter uncharacteristically wasted a gilt-edged chance to secure the win for the visitors. Finding himself unmarked and six yards from goal, the ball was put on a plate for him by O’Brien’s corner, but his header went over the crossbar.
There was a let-off for the Linnets as the game entered the last 15 minutes. Under no pressure, Forth tried a chipped pass out from his goal that landed straight at the feet of Dom Craig. Luckily, Jimmy Moore was alert to the danger and threw in a crucial last-ditch tackle to prevent the equaliser.
But having had no joy with trying to carve out an opening through the Linnets defence Padiham tried a different approach, and it paid off in truly spectacular fashion.
From a Padiham goal kick, the ball didn’t touch the ground again until it was nestled in the back of Forth’s net. Two flicked headers found Louis Corrigan who was forced to clear on the volley with his weaker right foot.
His attempted clearance fell perfectly for Craig, who took a touch and launched a looping half-volley goalwards from fully 35 yards.
The ball dipped at the crucial last second and bounced in off the underside of the crossbar. Without doubt the best goal that Linnets have conceded this season.
But that goal didn’t conclude the evening’s drama.
With 92 minutes on the clock, Corri- gan’s free-kick beat the wall and was palmed up into the air by the goalkeeper.
A trio of Linnets players followed the ball in and it was Potter who rose highest to nod the ball into the empty net and spark jubilant scenes of celebration on and off the pitch.
However, a very late flag was raised by the assistant, who had spotted an offside somewhere during the move.
While the Linnets players were still unaware of the decision against them, the referee allowed Padiahm to take the free-kick quickly and launch a 6 v 3 counter attack on goal with most Linnets players well out of position.
Fortunately, the stranded few that were tracking back managed to snuff out Padiham’s attempt at goal and deny what would have been a hugely controversial winner for the home side.
There was still time for Potter to come within a hair’s breadth of scoring a lastkick winner when he threw himself at Corrigan’s cross..
But with the ‘eeper beaten the ball could only glance past Potter’s head and wide of the post. Even a slight touch would have secured the much soughtafter goal.
With tensions still high after the final, whistle there was a red card shown to Antony Hickey for dissent.
But the draw took Linnets nine points clear of second-placed Widnes with the neighbours finally level on the number of games played.