Ellison praises ‘quality’ Shanley
EVO-STIK LEAGUE WEST (TOP) ● Paul Shanley celebrates his goal ( for Runcorn Linnets against Colwyn Bay last Saturday. The player’s performances have been hailed by his manager Michael Ellison.
MANAGER Michael Ellison has hailed his squad after Runcorn Linnets recorded their fourth successive victory in the Evo-Stik League West Division last weekend.
Linnets edged hosts Colwyn Bay after Paul Shanley opened the scoring on the hour and Ellison’s side held on to go joint top of the table prior to the midweek matches despite only being promoted at the end of last season.
With Linnets also overcoming Trafford and Skelmersdale United respectively in recent weeks, the manager believes his side are proving they can compete at this level – with one man specifically praised.
“The squad has changed weekto-week,” Ellison explained.
“The first week of the season I was leaving people out of the squad and then the squad on Bank Holiday Monday [against Skelmersdale] I had three subs and two weren’t fit!
“It’s just how it is and you have to deal with it the best you can.
“Obviously that was the test and the question mark – not from me or the coaching staff – but could the lads do it at this level?
“They’ve all been superb, espe- cially Paul Shanley.
“He’s hit the ground running and got himself a couple of goals but it’s his all-round performance. He’s been quality.”
Shanley and his Linnets teammates will have had a full seven days rest by the time they entertain early pacesetters Colne at the Millbank Linnets Stadium this Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm) but will then face a Tuesday evening clash every week until late October.
With this in mind – and an injury backlog still to ease – Ellison believes the week’s rest will be beneficial for his in-form side.
“I’d like to have changed [the starting XI] a little bit more to give lads a rest and the majority of lads playing have not really had a pre-season,” Ellison said.
“It would have been nice to give people a rest but once we get a couple of bodies back it’ll be a little easier.
“I’m glad we’ve got a break until Saturday.
“It’ll give us a chance to recharge our batteries and go again on the weekend.”
Following Saturday’s clash in the Evo-Stik League West Division with Colne, Linnets play host to Warrington Town next Tuesday evening in the first round of The Integro League Cup.
The match has a 7.45pm kickoff time. CHRIS HERBERT admitted he was “gutted” after Runcorn Town were dumped out of the Emirates FA Cup by Irlam last Saturday afternoon.
Town trailed 1-0 at half-time but goals from Paul McManus and Shaun Weaver turned the first round qualifying tie at the Viridor Community Stadium on its head.
Sadly for Runcorn, however, Irlam fought back with a late doublesalvo of their own to progress to the next round of the competition.
“It was a bit of a strange afternoon,” Herbert reflected.
“We had a couple missing but that’s no excuse – we still should have done the job.
“We had Carl Rodgers and Liam Turner missing so we brought in Steve Wainwright, who used to play for Marine, at right-back.
“In the first half things didn’t work out for us at all. We were very lucky to get in 1-0 down at half-time. It should easily have been three or four, it was that bad. Then we got in for half-time and the lads got a rollocking and we really turned it around in the second half.
“I thought for half-an-hour we were outstanding. We took the game to them, took the lead 2-1 and then all of a sudden made two mistakes. We made three mistakes. Every goal was a mistake and against a young, quick side like Irlam you can’t do it.
“It’s the lads’ fault for switching off and making those mistakes at those times.”
With defeat to Irlam following the hefty 4-0 Hallmark Security League Premier Division loss to City of Liverpool a week earlier, Herbert admitted the confidence gained from five successive league victories at the start of the season had taken a knock. “It always does with a defeat,” he admitted. “You have to find a way to lift the players back up. After City of Liverpool you’d have expected them to want to prove a point because it was an embarrassing defeat and the FA Cup was a great chance for the team to impress.
“We didn’t take that chance and I’m gutted about it.
“It’s a cup we wanted to do well in and we got the luck of the draw against a team in our league and the lads have let themselves down.
“We give them the tools to work with – they’ve got to take it on board and keep their concentration. At any level of football it’s concentration that wins and loses you games.”
Runcorn were aiming to return to winning ways last night when they played host to Hanley Town. They are also at home this Saturday when they entertain 1874 Northwich in the league. The match at the Viridor Community Stadium kicks-off at 3pm. Town are without a midweek match next week. ●