Linnets banish bad form in cup victory
RUNCORN Linnets’ league form may have been patchy this season but they are sweeping inconsistency aside to make a rare mark in one of the national FA conpetitions.
Success in the Emirates FA Cup has been scarce in recent times as was progress in the FA Vase.
But any threat of the Buildbase FA Trophy becoming another ‘ bogey’ after last year’s extra preliminary round exit has started to be dispelled.
On Tuesday night Linnets racked up their third victory in this season’s second stab at a tournament in which their predecessors, Runcorn AFC, were three times finalists and three times semi-finalists.
Expectations on the modern-day Linnets are comparatively modest and they are still two rounds away from the first round proper which became the traditional starting point of the former Linnets.
Nevertheless, a bit of glory is always welcome as is the £6,200 in prize money already accrued – with more to follow, win or lose, in the next round.
Linnets will have to wait a little longer for their next opponents to be decided.
But they have already knocked out three fellow Bet Victor NPL North West clubs and will welcome a fourth at short notice on Saturday, November 9.
Prescot Cables and Pickering were, like Runcorn, four days late in playing their first round qualifying tie as inclement weather affected the weekend’s North West non-league programme.
But unlike Runcorn, they were unable to settle their rearranged midweek tie and must replay in
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Yorkshire next Tuesday for the right to visit The Millbank.
Runcorn await the outcome with interest after completing a full set of results against Pontefract in the first three months of the season after a 1-1 home draw and 1-0 away defeat in league encounters.
With those antecedents, such a high-scoring affair would not have been expected, particularly as there was an unusual twist to manager Michael Ellison’s team selection.
Neither Jamie Rainford nor Connor McCarthy were named in the starting line-up – Linnets effectively playing without an out-and-out striker.
It was, therefore, a bizarre affair in some ways but that’s not to say the Linnets were ineffective in attack as Paul Shanley, on his return from injury, gave the visiting defence plenty to think about with his strong, willing and unstinting running.
In an rollercoaster cup tie, Runcorn had the perfect start thanks to a controversial handball decision against Pontefract.
After initially waving away protests but then belatedly consultating with one of his assistants (who was on the blind side of the incident), the referee stuck with his decision that the culprit had handled after dropping onto the ball.
Kurt Sherlock was decisive with his finish.
But from being 1-0 up after 14 minutes, the hosts were 1-2 down at the 24th as Ponte underlined their set-piece threat by scoring from corners. Joe Lumsden and Spencer Clarke were the beneficiaries.
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The Linnets weren’t helped, in between the two Pontefract goals, by the loss of Ryan Gibson, whose quick and surging raids from deep had been instrumental in them winning in the previous round at Trafford.
Ryan Wade joined the fray in a packed midfield but he was not a like-for-like replacement and Runcorn’s game plan was clearly affected. Wade, however, was to play his part later on.
The remainder of the half was an exercise on damage limitation for Runcorn as they struggled to regroup.
They earned another bit of luck a minute into first-half stoppage time. Tom Owens’ shot posed no threat until it deflected off a Blue body to wrongfoot ‘keeper Malkowski.
Runcorn went in level at 2-2 when the balance of play had been weighted towards Pontefract.
Runcorn had the ball in the net again soon after the restart but there were no grumbles at the offside decision.
But they regained the lead for a second time with Peter Wylie ghosting in at the far post to meet a tempting free-kick from the left by Louis Corrigan.
It had been a superb delivery from Corrigan but his best was still to come.
The 56th-minute strike gave Runcorn something to hold on to which they did tenaciously. The visitors continued to enjoy a lot of territorial advantage but lack of end product in open play left them increasingly frustrated.
Runcorn, meanwhile, remained a danger on the counter attack and even more so as the visitors had to gamble and the game became stretched.
With the clock ticking down, Zac Aley plundered the Linnets’ fourth of the night to calm the nerves – effectively and deservedly settling the contest in Linnets’ favour.
The referee penalised Ponte for a foul throw and Runcorn made them pay. Wade delivered a cross from the right for Zac Aley to head home jubilantly at the far post in the 87th minute.
Pontefract’s discipline in defence had gone. In the third and final minute of stoppage time, Aley was fouled on the edge of the box and Corrigan conjured up another of his magical left-foot free kicks to stun and bewilder the Colleries ‘keeper.
There was still time for Ponte to claim a consolation, scrambling home after a free-kick with a suspicion of handball in the build-up. But neither that, nor indeed the goal itself mattered, in the grand scheme.
Runcorn are through and nine more wins away from Wembley glory!