16^th August 2022, Mossley AFC v Runcorn Linnets FC : 1-0

Before the season's fixtures were announced, new Runcorn manager Dave Wild felt certain they would involve an early return to his former club, Mossley. His instinct was vindicated, as his first competitive away game in the job was at Seel Park.

Last season's results across the Pitching In Northern Premier League West hold few clues to the relative merits of so many changed squads and management teams.

Precedents were less helpful still for this fixture. Linnets had triumphed 2-0 on their last visit to Seel Park in late February, and that result was made all the more pleasing by the fact that it avenged a 4-0 home thumping by Mossley exactly four months earlier.

In the wake of another four-day heatwave, the Pennine perch of Seel Park provided a customary chilly wind to go with its picturesque moorland views. While Mossley is one of the last places in England likely to face a hosepipe ban, and the pitch had a healthy covering of grass, it was hard and bouncy.

In a hard-fought game where clearances by both sides heavily outnumbered passes, it made for a bitty encounter, with fluid football scarce. As in Linnets' opener against Widnes, it wasn't helped by a referee with a tendency to see most tackles as fouls (except in the penalty area), most of them followed by an in-depth lecture.

The consequence was a gritty game in which both sides showed more determination to avoid defeat than to carve out a victory. It had '0-0 draw' written all over it, until an 80th minute Keogh shot was smashed into Daryll Grant at close range. Mr Elliott decided it was handball before Daryll even knew it hit him, and Louis Potts' penalty gave Mossley three points that neither side fully deserved.

After an immaculately-observed one minute silence by the 478 present, in remembrance of beloved Lilywhite John 'Wiz' Cawthorne, the first 15 minutes saw the visitors in orange dominate possession and show the greater attacking threat.

A great early diagonal cross by Jacques Welsh was dealt with by a pressured one-handed punch by Mossley 'keeper Dale Latham. Then a James Short ball up to Sidi Sanogo required Latham to charge beyond his 18-yard line and head clear. He would have been powerless to stop Ally Brown's resulting 40-yard volley if it had curled inside the right post, rather than beyond it.

Eden Gumbs wore the No.9 shirt for his first start of the season, and the Lilywhites defence quickly learned what Linnets fans already knew: that he is incredibly hard to muscle off the ball.

Will Hartshorne picked up the first of the night's five yellow cards, for a hefty swipe at Sidi Sanogo. Lewis Doyle's free-kick was deflected for a corner, which was headed away by Jack Grundy, and James Short soon levelled the yellow card tally, for a foul on Kane Hickman. 

Hickman worked hard for the next 75 minutes to earn a yellow of his own, finally doing so for a scything challenge on late Runcorn sub Dapo Olarewaju.

Numerous similar fouls on Sanogo, Rodney and Brown had found Mr Elliott in a more lenient mood. He appeared to prefer lengthy discourse to the production of the dayglo plastic.

He changed his mind in the 25th minute, though, after Hickman dipped to head the ball as Brown tried to hook it towards the Mossley goal.

Hickman appeared badly hurt but, after the waving of the yellow rectangle at Ally, he made a full recovery.

After half an hour, Daryll Grant won the same aerial dual three times, and headed on to Nialle Rodney. His advance into the area was met by a tandem challenge by Grundy and Hartshorne, which drew penalty demands from Runcorn players and fans. 

It would have been a harsh penalty award. But not as harsh as the one for handball 50 minutes later.

Much physical effort, but very few scoring opportunities, occupied the last 15 minutes of the first half.

The best chance came a minute before the break. Sanogo closed in from the right wing, with the prospect of a tight-angled shot looking worthwhile. He chose instead to hook a cross back to the penalty arc, which was deflected into the path of Jacques Welsh. His shot dipped inches over the bar, with Latham rooted to the turf.

The early stages of the second half suggested that Mossley's team talk at the break had demanded more possession and attacking intent. Grant, Heathcote, O'Mahony and Short were all kept busy in and around their own area, but they held firm.

Keogh managed a rare shot on target, but Danny Taberner dived low and held on well.

Ten minutes into the half, Sanogo outstripped Mossley right-back Rothwell and crossed into the area. Eden Gumbs' first-time shot rippled the net, to the excitement of the Linnets fans behind the goal. But it was on the wrong side of the near post.

Nialle Rodney turned Sass and Grundy inside out, his cross then deflected away, and when Brown played the ball forward to Sanogo in the area, Hartshorne pushed him in the back before he could jump for the ball. Anywhere else on the pitch, it would have been a foul but Mr Elliott wasn't in the mood for awarding penalties. Not yet.

Sidi had another go with a run into the box in possession, but this time Hartshorne employed fair means, with a precise tackle.

Just past the hour mark, with a Linnets corner from the right, the Mossley defence was distracted by the Runcorn five-man anti-wrestling conga line, and it enabled Jacques Welsh to let rip from outside the area. But he leaned back, and shot well high.

After a substitution each, Jamie Rainford for Eden Gumbs and Mason Fawns for Bailey Marsden, Welsh met a Rodney cross in a similar position, and hit it hard and low. Grundy's block saved Latham from being called into action.

The game had been a triumph of hard work over real quality, and it demanded a magic moment to break the stalemate. The best chance of the night came from anything but. A long backpass by Grant was intercepted by Keogh, giving him a run on goal with only the 'keeper to beat. Danny Taberner closed the angle and made a great save, one of a number, in the second half especially, that led to his being named Linnets man of the match. 

That fact supports Dave Wild's assertion that, despite not deserving to lose, his side didn't offer quite enough threat to earn three points.

Taberner pulled off another fine diving save from Banister's solo run, which had resulted from a wasted Runcorn throw-in deep in Mossley territory.

Banister was a threat again moments later, when he was tackled robustly by Short in the area. Rejected shouts for a penalty were more realistic than those that won the support of the referee less than ten minutes later.

Ben Halfacre replaced Eden Gumbs with 15 minutes remaining, in the hope that swift uphill attacks might bring favourable results from crosses or set pieces. But Mossley continued to carve out more chances downhill and downwind than Linnets had done before the break.

Fawns had looked a real threat in possession since his introduction, and his cross from the right on 80 minutes furnished a powerful shot by Keogh, which hammered into Daryll Grant from close quarters.

Whether or not his arm was involved seemed irrelevant, as Spider Man wouldn't have had the reflexes to make any such intervention deliberately. But Mr Elliott's reluctance to bring either penalty spot into service was ended.

Potts drove the spot-kick home with a confidence that would probably have frustrated Taberner even if he had opted to dive left rather than right.

Going behind sparked the Runcorn ranks into their most fevered spell of attacking pressure since the highly-promising opening quarter-hour. 

Sidi Sanogo's ball-winning efforts found more teammates, and attracted more physical attention from the opposition. 

One of a number of resulting fouls provided a free-kick into a crowded area that was denied a fruitful follow-up when the assistant referee flagged an infringement by Jamie Rainford, the nature of which remains a mystery.

Dapo Olarewaju was introduced in place of Ally Brown with just five minutes remaining, and he too was earmarked as a threat worth risking yellow cards for.  In added time, Hickman belatedly picked up a yellow for swiping away Dapo's legs in the middle of the Mossley half.

Shortly beforehand, Olarewaju and Grant had staged a right-flank double act, which confounded three opponents.

Daryll's cross reached James Short inside the far touchline. Rainford met the skipper's return delivery, but couldn't muster the power necessary to beat Latham.  

In the last chance saloon, a Runcorn corner from the left was met by the head of Ben Halfacre at the near post. It had the power to evade Latham's outstretched right hand, but it flew six inches the wrong side of the upright.

At the final whistle, a panel of judges would have earned their corn to come up with a verdict to separate the two sides. Neither had excelled for style, and neither had disappointed for endeavour. Both had compelling arguments for a penalty denied, but the outcome was decided by a penalty award that not even a mother could love.

Insult was added to injury when Danny Taberner's man of the match award was supplemented by a yellow card, for his post-match observations on Mr Elliott's decision.

Runcorn disappointment was rubbed in by the now customary doubling of the Motorway journey time home from a midweek away fixture, by an impenetrable maze of traffic cones and Crystal Maze diversions. 

Mossley had started their season with a full six points from two games, while Linnets had three. Both would have to wait to add more, as they embark on FA Cup adventures four days later. 

Linnets face a formidable away tie at Trafford.

Runcorn Linnets:Danny Taberner, Daryll Grant, James Short, Lewis Doyle, Sean O'Mahony, Sam Heathcote, Ally Brown (Oladapo Olarewaju 84), Jacques Welsh, Eden Gumbs (Jamie Rainford 62), Sidi Sanogo Fofana, Nialle Rodney (Ben Halfacre 73).  Subs not used: Sam Turner, Isaac Turner.

Attendance: 478.

NB. The views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Runcorn Linnets FC or its Board.