Good account given as Trophy run ends
by Michael Donohue that was deflected for a corner. It was played quickly into centre-forward Tunde Owalabi, who was in enough space to dispatch it past Richie Mottram into the far corner, with less than two minutes on the clock.
The home fans feared this almost immediate breakthrough might herald a hammering. It did anything but.
Over the next 20 minutes or so, Runcorn built probably more meaningful attacks than the visitors, although few serious worries resulted for United keeper Cameron Belford.
At half-time, it was still 1-0, and in all fairness you would have to say that was just about right.
Linnets debutant Louis Hayes was involved in the centre of midfield from early on, and his billing as a hard-tackling but skilful ball-winner looked accurate.
On 20 minutes, Paul Shanley was put through for a one-on-one with the advancing Belford, who just got his left hand there first. Soon facing the ‘keeper in a similar situation, Shanley sent his effort wide.
Chances at both ends were dealt with effectively by defences, although when Linnets attacked there was a little more space allowed for them.
The visitors didn’t defend in the same numbers as the hosts, but they were repeatedly equal to the task
In the last ten minutes before the break United had more of the ball, but were given very little space by the Run
● cross to Owalabi, headed wide.
Substitutions on both sides did not affect the defining moment but it soon followed. Dodd ran on into the Runcorn third and slipped a pass to Owalabi on the edge of the area. He turned to shoot through a line of defenders with Mottram unsighted, and into the right corner.
The Premier Division side were having more of the ball, led by Griffiths, Potts and Linney, but their opponents were not giving up, and were never going to do so.
Front man Connor McCarthy replacing midfield general Kyle Hamid was a necessary attacking gamble by Michael Ellison, but it would inevitably result in a little less resilience on the retreat.
That may have been conclusive, as a United clearance reached Owalabi. He laid it off for Dodd, who was allowed a bit too much space in the area to stroke it into the corner.
Nobody could argue that Linnets were under siege during any part of the game, but far more of their attacking endeavours were speculative.
The performance deserved much better than a 3-0 reverse, but anything other than an exit from the competition would have been a great escape.