Linnets do advance in the cup

R’corn Linnets Ladies 2

Upton Women 1 RUNCORN LINNETS Ladies started their defence of the Cheshire Women’s League Challenge Cup with an uninspiring 2-1 win against Division Three pacesetters Upton Women.

Upton started the brighter, restricting Division One outfit Runcorn in the first 15 minutes to a Tempany Carlson free-kick which cleared the crossbar.

On 17 minutes, Linnets opened the scoring when Megan Pickering’s perseverance gave her a second opportunity to take a shot at goal and she despatched it low to the keeper’s left.

Pickering scored again nine minutes later, this time looking up to place the ball beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.

The second half began with a couple of freekicks to Linnets, but the period belonged to the visitors.

With an injury to goalkeeper Rebekah Durr, Runcorn were forced to put striker Pickering between their posts.

Within five minutes, Upton had pulled a goal back with Pickering holding her hands up to an error in the build-up.

This left a very nervy 15 minutes for Linnets to survive although late on they squandered a couple of one-on-one chances.

As the final whistle was blown, Runcorn were mightily relieved to be through to the next round – if only just.