Linnets enjoy glorious start to life in Cup

Aug 21 2008 by Dave Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

Runcorn Linnets 3 Rossington Main 2

THREE goals in the last 13 minutes of the first half ensured Runcorn started their inaugural FA Cup campaign with a win.

But while they weren’t exactly hanging on for the victory – Rossington scoring their second goal of their fightback in the first minute of two added on at the 90 – it was a far from convincing display by Steve Wilkes’ side.

After, as a new club, serving the two-season qualification for entry to the competition, Linnets made a stuttering start.

Having won their first two in the league, they had to wait for more than half an hour to expose Rossington’s defence, which had a tendency to be caught in possession, as suspect.

Visitor Rob Burton had got away with one such error when Dave Thompson’s cross was too far ahead of his striking partner Michael Morrison.

However, Thompson promptly made no mistake as he nicked the ball off left-back David Holvey to cut into the box from the right and fire a left-footed ground shot into the far corner.

When Linnets scored twice more before the turnaround, a landslide looked on the cards but it didn’t materialise.

For the first of these, Thompson had done well to flick on a header to release Stuart Telfer down the right flank.

The wideman’s 38th-minute cross found the hard-working Morrison, who hadn’t scored in his two previous outings but showed no lack of confidence as he volleyed in Telfer’s low centre.

Two became three-nil with the 45 minutes up. Allan Glover’s right-wing corner was met by Nehru McKenzie’s downwards header at the near post.

The tie looked over but Runcorn seemed at a loss as to what to do next.

Perhaps caught in two minds, they ended up neither looking like extending – or defending – the lead.

Linnets’ defender Robbie Moore came close when he steered a left-wing cross from Rob Whyte wide of the near post.

But with 63 minutes gone, the home rearguard was culpable as Lee Holmes veered away too easily from full-back Glover and Whyte down Runcorn’s left.

Towering centre-back Scott Dignan hardly deserved it when the striker’s cross-shot deflected off him and in.

There were further frights for the by now uncomfortable hosts and had the Yorkshiremen’s second arrived 10 minutes earlier, it could have posed big problems.

As it was, Mathew Lodge converted a poorly- defended corner with just seconds left and the effort couldn’t deny Linnets the landmark victory they craved.

Linnets: Holcroft, Pickup, Glover, McKenzie, Dignan, Moore, Telfer (Morris 75), Cunningham, M Morrison, Thompson (Courtney 82), Whyte (Young 68). Subs (not used): Edwards, Boden. Attendance: 170.