Woe at Collieries before Potter’s great wizardry
ATHERTON COLLIERIES ......................... 3 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 2
RUNCORN LINNETS failed the second part of their catch-up test after coming through the first with flying colours.
Having breezed past one-time North West Counties League rivals Colne a week earlier, Linnets came unstuck against another of the sides who were promoted just ahead of them.
Had Michael Ellison’s team started the game in the way they finished it, then they might well have returned with something.
Linnets gave it everything in the latter stages, laying seige to the Colls’ goal.
But they ultimately paid for lack of impact in the first half and the slack defending, which enabled the hosts to gain the upper hand in the second.
At 3-1 down in the 88th minute, a Connor McCarthy thunderbolt strike gave the visitors a glimmer.
Atherton withstood the concerted late pressure to retain all three points.
But Linnets’ onslaught will have given Colls something to ponder and Runcorn a useful springboard into this Saturday’s Buildbase FA Trophy rematch on the same ground.
This Evo-Stik League Division One West encounter at a venue, where Linnets had not lost in four previous visits, triumphing on their last three, was dominated for the most part by the hosts.
Linnets had a rare old struggle to get into their stride before the break with Colls carrying the only genuine goal threat – although there were not many clear chances.
With the interval fast approaching, goalkeeper Dylan Forth pulled off a stunning blocking save to deny Jordan Cover giving Atherton the lead.
Manager Ellison took the opportunity at half-time to shake things up, withdrawing skipper Kyle Hamid and Niall Watson in favour of Kurt Sherlock and McCarthy.
But before either had time to make an impact and the away side to settle back into the contest, Linnets found themselves behind.
Within a minute, Cover set up Vinny Bailey to give Colls the lead – on the balance of play, overdue.
Linnets found an unexpected pathway back when home goalkeeper Dale ● Latham allowed a speculative Freddie Potter shot to slither through his fingers and into the net.
However, salvation was shortlived as Runcorn promptly found themselves trailing again, within two minutes.
The ball found its way, a little fortunately, out to Ben Conway whose cross was converted by the head of Atherton’s Matt Grimshaw.
Linnets were making a better fist of it by now but Colls squandered a chance to tie up the loose ends.
Forth made a fine save from an 82ndminute penalty taken by Ben Hardcastle, awarded for a foul on the same player by Aaron Morris.
Within a minute, they looked to have sealed things as Danny Lambert punished Linnets for being unable to clear by steering home an eventual header from the left edge of the six-yard box.
Two minutes from the end of the 90, McCarthy launched a memorable 30-yard missile, the ball going in off the bar for his first Linnets goal, to pull back the deficit to 3-2.
Linnets threw everything forward in the little time remainimg.
On an afternoon when they were far from at their best, this spirited finish will provided some compensation and further encouragement after a good opening to the campaign.
Overall, there can be no complaints at the result but Linnets know they can and will come back stronger from this defeat. MOSSLEY AFC ........................................... 1 RUNCORN LINNETS ................................. 2 RUNCORN LINNETS won their thirdversus-fourth clash at Seel Park on Tuesday evening to take an early-season pole position in Division One West.
Freddie Potter produced a stunning overhead kick equaliser in the 75th minute and with Mossley being immediately reduced to 10 men, Runcorn were richly rewarded for going all out for the victory.
Centre-back Josh Dobie, who had come off the bench as manager Michael Ellison switched to a three-man defence with his side trailing, was upended in the home box in stoppage-time.
With Louis Corrigan having had a firsthalf penalty saved, Freddie Potter stepped up to slam home the spot-kick to secure a sixth win from eight league games.
Runcorn had begun in scintillating style and should have made their positive opening count when Connor McCarthy, making his first league start for Linnets, was hauled down in the six-yard box.
But Corrigan’s usual assurance from 12 yards was missing and his spot-kick was saved by Mossley goalkeeper Jonny Diba Musangu.
Things got worse for Linnets within two minutes. With Ronnie McCarthy down injured, a Linnets attempted clearance fell to Mossley.
Izzy Miranda exchanged passes with skipper Andy Keogh, who tried his luck with a 30-yard drive which was no more than speculative but somehow beat Dylan Forth low to his right.
Linnets manager Ellison was forced into a change before play restarted with the stricken Ronnie McCarthy unable to continue.
Runcorn’s frustrations continued in the second half with the quick and powerful Connor McCarthy being dubiously penalised for a foul after outmuscling a Mossley defender to run clear.
However, the former National Conference frontman helped to conjure up something special to bring the characterful away side level.
Giving chase to a long ball down the right, he got to it in the nick of time through sheer determination.
In a swirling wind, his first-time cross from almost on the deadball line dropped behind Potter, who steadied himself momentarily before spectacularly launching himself into the air with back to goal to power home.
Keogh was immediately sent off, presumably for taking his complaints too far at a Mossley penalty claim moments earlier being turned away.
Earlier Runcorn claims for a foul on Shanley in the Mossley area had likewise been rejected by the referee, who finally awarded the second spot-kick of the night.
Having already lost their captain to a red card, Mossley also suffered a dismissal from their bench.
With early leaders Radcliffe being beaten by Glossop North End at home, Linnets were unexpectedly catapulted into a two-point lead – although they have played a game more than some of the teams closest to them.