Play-off agony as Linnets lose out
RUNCORN LINNETS ................ 1 MARINE ..................................... 2
MARINE came from behind to end Runcorn Linnets’ dream of promotion as a memorable campaign fell just short of the ultimate prize.
The opening three minutes promised an end-to-end game, and saw Linnets take another early lead.
Ally Brown curled a shot from the right side of the area, narrowly past the left post. From the goal-kick, a Marine attack set up a long throw from the right. That would be a set piece of which Linnets would have to be wary.
Joe Lynch cleared long to Lloyd Marsh-Hughes, who won a corner when Joshua Solomon-Davies blocked his attempted cross.
Iwan Murray delivered the kick into the six-yard box, where nobody in blue was ready to prevent Ryan Brooke from heading his 34th of the season.
Linnets fans sensed that their team were taking the final by the scruff of the neck, in a similar way to their marauding first-half at Leek. Marine might have feared the same, but credit is due to the way they set about getting a grip on the final as though it was still 0-0.
It would be another 68 minutes before they achieved parity, so neither side managed to control the game, but Marine certainly prevented Linnets from making their lead something to build upon, rather than to protect.
The Mariners levelled when Jack Dunn and Lewis Reilly played a one-two into the area from the left, producing a shot that bounced off the crossbar. Mooney hadn’t a hope of recovering from his dive in time to stop Neil
Kengni heading in from close range.
Into the last 15 minutes, Runcorn defending looked as determined as ever, but increasingly stretched, and the reinforced Marine attack prowled in search of a decisive opening.
It came after 79 minutes, when a corner from the left was met by Dunn at the near post, and he headed through an undefended gap to send the away fans behind the goal into raptures.
A chance of salvation came when Iwan Murray was brought down in the penalty area. A low tackle as he crossed the line into the right side of the area sent him airborne, and failed to win the ball, but the referee waved away appeals for the penalty.
Calum McIntyre later called it the worst ‘non-decision’ of the season.
Marine’s triumph was applauded as loudly by 1,000 home fans as it was by the 600 who travelled.
What a great season it has been for Runcorn Linnets.