Linnets hit rivals for four
WARRINGTONWOLVERINES .... 1 RUNCORN LINNETS LADIES ...... 4
TO those in and around the Linnets Ladies camp, this convincing victory against Warrington Wolverines came as no surprise.
The team has been threatening to produce this type of performance for the past few weeks and unfortunately for Warrington they were the team on the end of it in North West Regional Women’s League Division One South.
Runcorn forced a corner after just 36 seconds, showing their intent in a fixture that the home side were clearly favourites to win.
Chelsea Gillies rifled a shot at the home goal before Ellie Dyson slipped the Warrington defence to put a ball on a plate for Lile Ashley to tap in after two minutes.
The home side’s response was immediate but when clear the shot was high and wide.
On 11 minutes, Gillies took aim again. Maybe the `keeper lost her bearings, thinking the ball was going wide, but to her amazement it crept in.
Warrington tried to release their forwards but Caitlin Gibbons, having one of her best games in a
Runcorn shirt, was there to clear.
Indecision in the final third gifted a route back into the game for Warrington on 23 minutes, as their striker broke clear to beat Chloe Jordan in the Linnets goal.
Dyson and Ashley were proving a real hand full for the home side’s defence and Dyson was inches away from a third for Linnets on 32 minutes after a great turn.
But her shot, having been slipped past the `keeper, shaved a post.
Eight minutes later, Dyson made no mistake with a carbon copy effort.
The home side’s discipline began to waver either side of half-time, resulting in a straight red for a Warrington player for something said to the referee.
Emma McLarney went close for Runcorn with a shot from distance, Ashley then hitting the bar as the visitors looked for the goal, which would put the result beyond the home side.
Ashley, renowned for her goal scoring ability, showed more to her game on Sunday as she set up countless attacks down the right.
Warrington’s numerical deficiency didn`t stop them from trying to get back into the game. But Beth Middleton and Becky Barker were assured in the heart of the Linnets defence with Beth Graham outstanding at right back.
Runcorn sealed victory in the 87th minute, when Dyson fed Gillies, who rolled the ball for McLarney to rifle a shot beyond the home `keeper.
This result was on a par with the performance in the Women’s FA Cup against Preston NE, Linnets not only winning the first ball but the second as well.
They have become a well-disciplined side of late, sticking to playing football and becoming a more difficult team to beat.
`Keeper Chloe Jordan had very little to do, such was the dominating performance in front of her.
Lucy Wieland, having scored two goals last week, produced a different kind of display this week, showing an invaluable work rate down the left.
RUNCORN LINNETS LADIES: Jordan, Gibbons, (Evans 66) Graham, Barker, Middleton, Wieland, (Cawley 87) Gillies, Mclarney, Bazley. Dyson, Ashley.