Linnets leave it late for fourth win in row
● would now be tested.
The goal spurred Trafford on to be visibly quicker and sharper in their marking and tackling. The Runcorn midfield was seeing less of the ball, and when they had it, they were finding it harder still to find openings.
As they were forced to advance in greater numbers to gain and use possession, it also made quick Trafford breaks more potentially dangerous.
On the hour, Emery found himself the only line of defence as Walters advanced on goal, and the ’keeper won the 50/50 race with his feet. Had he not, it would have been game over.
The tight tackling in the middle third was resulting in more free-kicks, and the home fans were hoping that one or two might materialise in the 20 to 25 yard range that so often makes Louis Corrigan undefendable.
They were mostly closer to 35, though.
Hopes of success from such situations became all the more forlorn with 13 minutes remaining, when Sam Grimshaw withdrew and was
● replaced by the Chewbacca-proportioned Keil O’Brien.
Before that switch, two Linnets had gone into the referee’s book, Ally Brown for a late challenge as Trafford attacked on the left, and Jack Hinnigan for pulling back Walters on the halfway line.
On 75 minutes, a cross from the left found Palma in the area with space to work with. His shot went wide, with plenty of the goal to aim at.
It was perhaps surprising that no changes had been made to the Linnets lineup, Alex O’Neill in particular being someone who can open up resourceful defences, as he had done for the last half-hour at Kendal.
Alex did appear with nine minutes remaining, replacing Tom Owens.
There was no lack of effort or quality in Runcorn attempts to salvage something from the afternoon, but it was clear that with four minutes to go, it would come only from a defensive mistake or a flash of brilliance to exploit the tightest of gaps. It was the latter.
●
The penalty area was heavily populated by the big men in the classy white kit, but 17-year-old McKinney found the ball at his feet just inside it, turned and spied a narrow gap inside the left post, and slotted the ball sharply home.
There might have been the merest of deflections that kept it just beyond the full-length dive of Cooper, but it was a beautifully-taken chance when few had been allowed.
Trafford clearly felt that a game they had won still could be, and they rallied to the other end, where Emery took two grabs to foil an inviting chance for Walters. On the way back, Davidson collected a yellow card for a body-check on Connor McCarthy on the halfway line.
The free-kick was fired long out to the right, from where Shanley headed it back across the area to McCarthy.
A tackle by Amado won the ball, but took the man on the way with an audible crack. We have all too often used the word ‘bottled’ to describe referees’ reactions to moments like that, but Mr Mustafa had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Trafford objections to the decision were voluble and protracted, and Louis Corrigan stood hands on hips for some time waiting to take the penalty.
The Linnets No2 targeted the bottom left corner, if a little less powerfully than usual, and Cooper got there to make another fine save. He could only parry it, though, and Corrigan got to the rebound first to bury it in the centre of the goal.
An eventual six minutes of added time had enough left for the hardworking Lewis Walters to see red for lingering dissent, before Mr Mustafa finally sent everyone else home.
There are no games for Runcorn on either of the next two Saturdays.
The next stop will be a cold turkey affair on December 26, when round three of the season’s four against Prescot – following 180 minutes of FA Trophy action between the two – commences at 3pm.