Linnets left fuming by a late equaliser
PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES ..... 1 RUNCORN LINNETS .................. 1
was quick and tireless, and the stand-out performer in a side with even more new faces than Calum McIntyre’s new-look Runcorn squad. Almost the whole Ponte team that was lying third in the 2019-20 table when the season was terminated have since defected to Worksop.
Clare did set up the late equaliser with a volleyball pass, but it’s the officials’ job to spot that, not his to admit it.
We knew possibly better than the home fans that they have a good goalkeeper, Mike Emery having impressed in a brief spell at the Millbank last season before his departure to Rylands FC.
Several times he thwarted attempts on goal (Runcorn having considerably more of these) that could have put the game beyond reach for the men in blue long before their controversial late equaliser.
Advances on goal came at both ends, Runcorn’s mostly blocked at close quarters or forced out for goal-kicks or throw-ins, which one of the assistant referees was prone to award to the hosts.
Full-backs Brizell and Short instigated a number of moves up both flanks involving Hayes, Lindfield, Welsh, Brooke and Wharton, and Ally Brown, usually the right back but this time in a more attacking midfield role.
But the space to make much of them was limited with aplomb by the Pontefract back-line of Bailey, Gordon, Tingle, Clare and Walmsley.
Similarly, more airborne assaults by the home side into the Runcorn third were covered and cleared by Lycett, returning captain Wylie, Brizell and Short.
Scott Lycett continued to show an affinity with his No9. What initially appeared to be mere clearances were often neatly placed long passes up to Ben Wharton, which would have borne more fruit if Ben hadn’t been wearing Tom Clare like an undersized overcoat.
After the half-hour a rare fumble by Paddy Wharton in the Linnets goal might have spelled danger, but it fell to his back-tracking namesake to clear, rather than the attendant Ponte forwards Keane and Smith.
Shortly afterwards, Linnets skipper Wylie earned a yellow card for his robust halting of Ibrahimi’s progress on the left. The victim’s free-kick from out wide sought to catch Paddy off his line, but it cleared the bar.
A minute before the break, in a crowded Pontefract penalty area, Lindfield and Wharton snap shots caused consternation, but not panic, for the home defence.
Runcorn ‘keeper Paddy Wharton was yellow carded for time wasting as his opposite number waited to take a free-kick with two balls on the pitch.
Paddy launched the extra ball not to the dugouts, but long to Emery, apparently unaware that it wasn’t the only one. The referee saw gamesmanship, but it wasn’t as though Linnets were desperately eyeing half-time.
The last action of the half was a promising Pontefract assault with four men in the opposition area, but it was belatedly called back for an offside in the build-up.
I guessed that Calum McIntyre’s half-time team talk had called for swifter assaults on the home third, as they came quickly after the break. A Louis Hayes flick over the defence drew an unfortunate fresh air shot by Ben Wharton, a whisker away from his intended rocket volley on goal.
Seconds later, a Brooke shot from wide left evaded Emery but bounced squarely off the far post rather than glancing into the net. The former Linnets ‘keeper might not have admitted it to us, but I’d bet he was as surprised as anybody when it rebounded straight into his arms.
Five minutes into the second half a Louis Hayes ball into the box did feed a successful Wharton volley, but with Emery rooted to the spot, it whistled past the left post.
As the second half developed the hosts were having more possession, and keeping and moving the ball around far more than they had in the first. More opportunities began to result, but stout defending protected Paddy Wharton from excessive pressure.
On 55 minutes, a Pontefract man lying on the floor was enough reason for Mr Tomlinson to award a free-kick for something he didn’t see, but it was headed wide from close range under pressure.
A wave of substitutions came around the hour mark, that of Nathan Modeste for Sam Cable ultimately proving critical.
Linnets’ Ryan Brooke made way for Tom Ruffer, with Matty Nebard replacing home rightback Fabien Bailey.
Two bursts of Pontefract intent came close together, a decent long shot by Ibrahimi clearing the top left angle of post and bar, and Paddy Wharton being forced to punch clear under two-man aerial pressure.
The ball came back in, and a close-range header by Gordon had the home fans at the other end celebrating briefly. But the roof of the net had been ruffled from the outside.
Linnets players were becoming increasingly disgruntled at the officials’ apparent default setting of giving every close call in their opponents’ favour.
Josh Brizell was perhaps fortunate not to see yellow for his frank exchange of views with the assistant who had flagged a throw-in to Pontefract when the last three players to touch the ball had all been in blue.
A moment after that, a neat one-two between Wharton and Brown put Ally into the area wide right. He was expected to cross for the advancing Ruffer, but Mike Emery did well to make a two-handed save from a surprise tight-angled shot.
At the other end, a rash trip by Peter Wylie 20 yards out conceded a Ibrahimi free-kick which cleared the goal by at least three times its height.
Inside the last ten minutes, Pontefract sub Nebard collected an inevitable yellow card for a protracted half-nelson on Ben Wharton as he broke into the home third. It triggered a chain of events which decided the outcome of the game.
Brizell’s powerful free-kick beat Emery all ends up, but cracked off the centre of the crossbar to rebound well clear.
On the break, the Linnets defence couldn’t cover the counter-attack quickly enough, and struggling to control a bouncing ball at the edge of the area, Tom Clare palmed the ball forward into the path of substitute Nathan Modeste to finish with ease.
Calum McIntyre and his players were furious, and the latter used their ire to fuel a barrage of attacks in the dying minutes, to the extent that Stuart Crilly was involved in several of them after coming on for Ryan Brooke right on 90 minutes.
But the attacking effort bore no gilt-edged chances, thanks to the defensive attentions of Gordon, Tingle and Walmsley, led by example by Clare.
ON A BLISTERINGLY hot day at The Millbank, Runcorn Linnets Ladies defeated the West Midlands Regional Premier League visitors in their latest friendly
Runcorn set the tempo straight from the kick-off, Lile Ashley firing over with just 19 seconds on the clock but this did not deter a neat Stoke side, who went close themselves two minutes later.
Molly Hewitt got in the first of several tantalising crosses into the opposition box but nobody could make the telling connection as the ball flashed across goal.
The opening goal came from Linnets’ Becky Barker, at the second attempt after the ‘keeper had blocked the initial effort. Lile Ashley once again made the assist but credit goes to Chelsea Gillies and Jess Bazley for their hard work and commitment in the midfield build-up.
Megan Pickering pulled off a fine save in the Runcorn goal in a frantic opening.
Chelsea Gillies rattled the post on 10 minutes, from an Ashley corner, before Barker got her second around 60 seconds later, latching on to another Hewitt right – wing cross as the home side moved into what seemed like a comfortable lead.
But 2-0 can be a tricky advantage in football and the inevitable happened as the visitors capitalised on a Linnets defensive mistake in the 14th minute. Pickering did everything she could by saving the first effort, but the rebound fell kindly for the City of Stoke forward.
Runcorn played some really nice football. When Ashley’s shot cannoned off the bar in the 17th minute, Ellie Dyson placed the rebound wide.
Chelsea Gillies then beat the ‘keeper from distance in the 27th minute to extend the home lead – the midfielder making the space to line up an unstoppable effort
The quality of the opposition was there to be seen and City of Stoke pressed forward, forcing another corner, from which only a good reaction save from Pickering kept the visitors out. The ball had deflected off her own player to increase the degree of difficulty.
Runcorn Linnets Ladies made several changes at half-time. Emma McLarney came on at centre half for Beth Middleton, Lucy Wieland replaced Ellie Dyson on the left, Beth Graham took up the right back position in place of Katie Evans and Caitlin Gibbons replaced Ellie Isherwood at left back.
The other change saw Marcia Jones-Sacharewicz, replacing Lile Ashley up top – the former increasing the Runcorn lead, after being put through by Barker, on 49 minutes. Jones-Sacharewicz calmly lobbed the advancing ‘keeper, again Gillies and Bazley having been instrumental in the build-up for Barker to make the telling through ball.
This merely spurred the visitors to enjoy their best period of the game, forcing several corners and getting behind the home defence frequently. Ellie Dyson returned to the field, in place of Becky Barker, on 60 minutes, Molly Hewitt was also withdrawn, making way for Amy Kelly down the right.
The Linnets, looking second best in the tackle at this stage, were indebted to a fine piece of play from Ellie Dyson as they consolidated their winning position.
She closed down a back pass to the visiting ‘keeper. With the ball spinning up and heading into the net, the striker made sure it crossed the line.
City of Stoke, who throughout the second half had raised the pace, scored a late consolation goal.
A foul throw by the home side turned over possession and with Runcorn slow to react, the visitors quickly got into gear to switch the play. The recipient striker beat Pickering at her near post with a low, driven shot.