15^th November 2022, Runcorn Linnets FC v Chester FC : 1-1 [Pens:5-3]

A soaking wet Tuesday brought Cheshire Senior Cup action to the APEC Taxis Stadium, and with it, the return of former Linnets manager Calum McIntyre and his National League North side, Chester FC.

Torrential rain for much of the game, causing many a slip in the last 20 minutes before half-time, prevented it from being anything approaching a classic, but nobody who took part gave the impression that they weren't too bothered about competing in a 'minor' competition.

County cup games typically involve young players, and more peripheral squad members, being given a run-out, while regular first-teamers are rested.

The Linnets team had a distinctly 'first choice' look about it, albeit featuring a debut start for Macauley Clifton, who had progressed from the U21 ranks to make several impressive substitute appearances in recent weeks. Eden Gumbs was unavailable, and Chester loanee Zack Clarke ineligible.

Assistant manager Jamie Rainford took a rare 'breather', occupying Macca's seat on the bench.

A number of Chester fans had described their line-up as a 'youth team', but that didn't ring entirely true. Despite ten changes from their 1-1 draw with Leamington on Saturday, nine of their starters, plus two subs, had shared a total of 48 appearances in Chester's last seven games, all of them unbeaten.

Chester started the game on the front foot, but their attempts to carve out an early chance through the middle were dealt with calmly by centre-backs O'Mahony and Heathcote, supplemented by Doyle and Hayes from midfield.

It took nine minutes for a first shot on goal to materialise, by Stephenson from Daly's pass, and it was defied by Danny Taberner's low dive.

It took three minutes more for Linnets to bother Harry Tyrer in the Chester goal. He held on to Ally Brown's cross from the right, after Ryan Brooke had headed on Sean O'Mahony's clearance.

Both sides were achieving spells of possession with passes on the ground, but neither managed any telling penetration.

The tie became more interesting after 17 minutes. Sidi Sanogo did well to keep in a swift ball towards the right touchline, and after an exchange of passes with Macauley Clifton he crossed into the six-yard box. Macca had joined Ryan Brooke inside the right post, and both had a stab at goal, with Tyrer blocking one of them on the line.

The assistant referee on the right hand side sognalled that the ball had crossed the line, and it was Brooky who confirmed that Clifton had scored his first goal for the Runcorn senior team. It was to prove a fitting reward for an excellent performance by the teenager, until he gave way to Dapo Olarewaju after an hour.

Chester responded immediately to win a corner from the right, which was hit too long, and out on the far side. A game of pinball followed at the edge of the Runcorn area, off a 40-yard free-kick resulting from an apparently clean challenge by Clifton.

A similar free-kick was repelled by O'Mahony, after Doyle's swipe at the ball had missed, but had also made no contact with anybody in blue and white stripes.

Apart from those two fruitless set-pieces, Linnets saw more of the ball than their visitors, up to the half-hour mark.

Chester had done little to trouble Danny Taberner until the 33rd minute, when Williams and Daly combined up the left, after Ally Brown had slipped on the wet surface, and Jamie Morgan's shot hit the crossbar.

Hitherto light rain became torrential, and I was forced to retreat from the roof of the stand to the cover of the Forest End, lest my notebook turn to papier mache.

My new vantage point made it hard to determine the justification of Chester calls for handball at the other end, as a shot was fired into a crowded Linnets penalty area. Referee Graeme Kearney was better placed, and he saw no offence.

The last ten minutes before half-time suggested the need for a switch to longer studs during the break, as players from both sides lost their footing, and there was more half-chance for each side.

Louis Hayes fired high, from a Brooke pull back off Short's throw-in.

O'Mahony escorted the ball out of play as Chester advanced up the right. As somebody who hates the 21st century concept of 'legal obstruction', it's only fair that I should pretend to be pleased that the referee saw Runcorn contact with the ball, and awarded Chester a corner.

We were, however, two minutes into one minute of added time.

Three Chester heads made contact with the ball into the Linnets area, until Sam Heathcote headed clear, and the half-time whistle blew.

An attendance of 679 was announced. Not bad, for a rain-sodden Tuesday night and a competition of supposedly limited importance.

The rain was at its heaviest as the second half started, but it didn't deter James Hooper from drawing a fine save from Tyrer, parrying a piledriver following a free-kick straight from kick-off. But an offside flag rendered it unnecessary.

There weren't to be too many other near things for Linnets in the second half, as they settled into a disciplined defensive performance, Chester dominating possession and pressing forward at every opportunity.

Amid a flurry of Chester corners, and free-kicks resulting from dogged defending to protect the Runcorn area, Calum McIntyre made a first change.

Harry Griffiths made his first- team debut, replacing winger Sam Turner, who had served Linnets on loan earlier in the season.

On 57 minutes, the referee not only rejected loud appeals for a Chester penalty, but also cautioned Jamie Morgan for simulation.

Dapo Olarewaju joined the fray for the last half-hour, replacing Macauley Clifton, who had impressed again in a ball-hungry forward role on the right. Dapo was returning to match fitness, following an ankle injury sustained in the FA Trophy win over Belper Town, and Linnets fans voiced concern that he might suffer a relapse before the next round in Spennymoor on Saturday.

A number of heavy challenges on the wet surface caused breath to be held, but Dapo came through unscathed. Sean O'Mahony gave way to Tom Moore five minutes later, having taken a knock, but the move was purely precautionary.

In between those two changes, Chester replaced Darren Stephenson with Kole Hall.

The elements also took a break, as the rain stopped for the last 20 minutes of normal proceedings.

Chester continued to monopolise the ball, and piled in crosses from both sides. Danny Taberner intercepted in the air time and again under pressure, and all eleven Linnets worked tirelessly to limit the ground level threat into the area.

But with 15 minutes to go, Joe Lynch reminded the APEC why he was a fans' favourite during his time with Runcorn throughout the 2021-22 season.

He picked up the ball 30 yards out, and advanced another ten with the defence backing off to block a path to goal. Lynchy needed to gain no more ground, as he unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top-left corner, with the flying Tabs clutching at air.

Chester were duly encouraged to maintain the siege, and Linnets knuckled down still harder, to see the tie through to penalties, or maybe to clinch a smash and grab winner on the break.

James Short threatened the latter, with a hard low shot after exchanging passes up the left with Hoops. Tyrer did well to force it past the post. The corner was headed away unchallenged by Harrison Burke.

Sidi received lengthy attention after being clattered on the halfway line, before Hooper tried a shot of his own from 18 yards after turning his marker, but he couldn't muster the power to test the 'keeper.

After Chester replaced Jamie Morgan with Kieran Coates, Hoops had a nearer miss when he glanced a header just over the near angle from an 85th-minute corner.

Then he shot on target from Lewis Doyle's pass into the area, and Tyrer was a touch fortunate that his reflex block didn't fall to the loitering Brooky or Dapo.

Those attempts on the break all interrupted sustained Chester pressing, which continued into four minutes of added time.

The pace slowed markedly then, with both sides taking care not to make a fatal error.

With penalties looming, Ryan Brooke headed a great flick-on from Sam Heathcote's long clearance, and it set Dapo away on a run towards goal, with Burke and Coulton in hot pursuit.

Dapo was brought down a yard outside the area, but the referee saw no foul. It was surprising, therefore, that he didn't show Dapo a yellow card for simulation, as he had done to Morgan earlier.

Given that there was certainly no defensive contact with the ball, it surely had to be either a foul or a dive.

Perhaps Mr Kearney is partial to a penalty shoot-out, and didn't want to risk our being denied one.

We weren't, and when Chester won the toss and chose the Forest End for the 12-yard showdown, massed ranks of Runcorn fans legged it down to the bottom end to offer encouragement at close quarters.

Shoot-outs haven't been a roaring success for Linnets in recent seasons, and it might have come as a surprise to Calum McIntyre when Ryan Brooke was first to place the ball on the penalty spot. Last season, Calum had reported that the NPL West's eventual golden boot winner suffered from a serious aversion to taking them.

Not this time, as he slammed it way out of Tyrer's reach into the top left corner.

Devine took Chester's first kick, and Tabs appeared to have pulled off a great save, but the ball spun vertically, and looped over him into the net.

Tyrer also got a hand to Hooper's second for Linnets, inside the foot of the right post, but the power of his shot saw it divert into the roof of the net.

Then came the defining moment, when Joe Lynch, of all people, failed to deliver. It was a perfectly sound spot-kick, well to Taberner's left, but the Linnets 'keeper put his status as front runner for man of the match beyond any doubt, with a brilliant save.

Heathcote converted, hard inside the left post, as did Daly in the opposite bottom corner, to make it 3-2 to Runcorn.

Tom Moore blasted Linnets' fourth into the roof of the net, and Hall made it 4-3, again in the bottom right corner, as Tabs guessed the other way.

It fell to Lewis Doyle to complete a Runcorn full-house, and render a fifth Chester attempt superfluous.

Tyrer also dived the wrong way, and Lewis hit the top-right corner, to put Linnets into the next round, 5-3.

Penalty shoot-outs are football Marmite, but love them or hate them, they provide an exciting finish to even the dullest of draws.

This one was never a classic, but hardly dull, and Runcorn players and fans were more than happy with its finale.

It was immediately confirmed that Linnets would host Winsford United in the next round, and later announced that the tie would take place on Tuesday 10th January. Runcorn Linnets: Danny Taberner, Ally Brown, James Short, Lewis Doyle, Sean O'Mahony (Tom Moore, 65 mins) Sam Heathcote, Macaulay Clifton (Dapo Olarewaju! 60 mins), Louis Hayes, Ryan Brooke, Sidi Sanogo Fofana, James Hooper. Subs (not used): Josh Roberts (GK), Jamie Rainford.

Attendance: 679.

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