Downes injury sours progress in the FA Cup
RUNCORN Linnets’ joy of advancing into Monday’s FA Cup draw was eclipsed by hopes for a rapid recovery by Alex Downes from a horrible head injury.
Linnets were 2-0 up when centre-half Downes suffered a sickening injury following a forceful elbow in the face from Joe Walton.
The production of a straight red card from referee Daniel Bruce was instant, and it was a relief that the arrival of an ambulance and a paramedic response vehicle didn’t take much longer.
Walton responded aggressively to the disapproval of the home fans as he left the pitch, and many of his teammates sprinted to join him in confronting them.
That might have been distasteful enough, even if it weren’t for the fact that Alex Downes still lay motionless and unconscious on the halfway line.
The player was thankfully conscious by the time the ambulance left the ground.
Carl Spellman replaced him, but didn’t have the chance to get involved as the referee restarted the game in added time and immediately blew the final whistle.
Any celebrations of an FA Cup win, and the anticipation of Monday’s draw for the next round, were obscured by far more important concerns.
Linnets went into the tie knowing they had their work cut out, hosting the leaders of the parallel NPL East Division and winners of their first five league games, with a plus-10 goal difference.
Early exchanges followed the pattern of the season so far, with big, strong opposition marking tight and closing down fast.
But Runcorn made a confident start, Joe Lynch firing over the bar from 20 yards in the first minute.
On the half hour, Paul Walker’s free-kick found Kevy Tarangadza’s head outside the right post, Oliver Fearon following up with a cross that flew behind for a goal-kick.
A minute later, Runcorn had the ball in the net. Ryan Brooke won an aerial duel in the centre circle then picked up the ball himself to lay off to Laurence Smith, whose shot rattled the bar.
Brooke followed up to head inside the left upright, but Joe Lynch was in an offside position too close to the path of the ball.
Approaching the interval, Iwan Murray won a couple of fair fights for the ball before being fouled. He regained the ball after losing it to Jack Stockdill, who expressed his displeasure by stamping on the Runcorn No 10.
Mr Bruce had scarcely had time to return the yellow card to his pocket before Stockdill scythed into Ryan Brooke, possibly breaking the world speed record for chalking up two bookings.
A one-man advantage prompted a confident Runcorn start to the second half, but they were unable to break the deadlock.
Linnets controlled possession again into the final half-hour, without breaking down Liversedge defensive efforts, and a breakaway allowed a Fearon shot that was safely fielded by Joe Young.
Stuart Crilly was causing headaches for the Sedge defence as he switched passes with advancing full-backs Brown and Short, and the sequence bore fruit after 65 minutes, when Ally Brown beat left-back Grant to the goal-line and snapped back a cross that Ryan Brooke buried with ease to give the eleven men the lead.
Cyrus John’s afternoon was over when he landed badly on an ankle after intercepting in the centre circle. Adam Porritt replaced him, as Ross Daly also substituted Spencer Harris.
An aerial free-kick into the Runcorn area ended up in the net, but an offside flag had already been raised; ‘keeper Joe Young was also surely fouled while attempting to catch it.
There were seven minutes remaining when Liversedge had their best chance of the half. Walker fired a rapid ball across the box, where Fearon controlled in a crowd and shot firmly, drawing a fine save from Young.
The tie was settled when a one-two between Crilly and Short on the left wing provided a cross into the six-yard box that Sedge ‘keeper Jordan Porter couldn’t hold on to, and Brooke needed no second invitation.
He extended his FA Cup goal tally to three in two games, planting a header into the undefended net.
The Runcorn defence held a high line in the middle third of the pitch to see out the victory, the spectacle unfortunately ending on a sour note with the injury to Downes.
Monday’s draw presented Linnets with a home draw against Bamber Bridge.
● Widnes RUFC’s game against Burnley at the weekend was called off because Burnley had a number of Covid cases in their squad.