26^th November 2022, Ramsbottom United v Runcorn Linnets FC : 1-3

In an away fixture beloved of Linnets who are also steam train enthusiasts - Ramsbottom's ground backing on to the heritage line of the East Lancashire Railway - Runcorn came off an eventful 2-1 midweek home victory over league leaders Macclesfield, to face a Rams side engaged in an unaccustomed struggle in the relegation zone.

Recent weeks had produced a series of 'games of two halves' for Linnets, and in some ways, this was another.

In this case, Linnets dominated for most of the afternoon, although more so in the first 45 minutes. And yet a goalless first half was followed by a four-goal second, with the visitors sparked into ruthless action after going behind six minutes after half time, in a way that redefined the cliche 'against the run of play'.

The pitch, always a bumpy affair at the Harry Williams Stadium, also provided contrasting halves. It had a definite bearing on the outcome, as the undulating and rutted railway end attacked by Linnets from kick-off, made passing and control on the ground a haphazard affair. 

The grass was long throughout, but the higher end of the pitch, where all three Runcorn goals were scored, was visibly flatter and more even. That made an offensive passing game more reliable, and that became decisive.

There was one change from Tuesday's starting lineup, with James Hooper coming in for Eden Gumbs.  

Runcorn attacked from the off, and it quickly became clear that James Hooper had a hard time in store for the Rams defence, working with James Short up the left to make repeated inroads into the home penalty area. 

It didn't take long for the counting of Linnets corner kicks to become an onerous task, and wrestling and shirt pulling was the favoured Rams method of defending them, which gave Jamie Rainford in particular an aggravating Saturday afternoon.  

Six minutes in, he threw Rams centre-half Lee Neville to the ground in response to being molested.

By the time ten minutes had been played, Rainford, Hooper, Sanogo and Brooke had all attempted shots resulting from James Short corners, two of them skewed wide, and the other two blocked by Rams 'keeper Harry Turner, who acquitted himself well throughout a busy afternoon.

It was after 15 minutes that the Rams first gave the Linnets defence any real work to do. A crossfield pass by Ben Halfacre, who had started the season with his second brief spell as a Linnet, found Thomas Croughan, but James Short halted his progress, conceding a corner. 

That was taken by another former Linnet, Danny McKenna, and was cleared by Sean O'Mahony.

Dapo Olarewaju was accelerating past defenders as he so often does, to create unrest in the opposition area, but shots and passes at ground level from wide positions were bobbling unpredictably on the uneven surface. It quickly became obvious that 'bobbling' was going to be the word of the day.

In the 21st minute, Coughlan managed the first Rams attempt on target, from wide on the right. Danny Taberner parried it away and out for a throw-in on the far side.

Three minutes later, a great one-two between Short and Hooper on the Linnets left produced a chipped Hoops cross that bounced awkwardly for Ryan Brooke, and Turner got a hand to his half-shot to divert it away from goal.

Brooky tried again when Dapo pulled a pass back to him from Hooper's cross, but it bobbled again, and trickled wide. 

Dapo accelerated between Radcliffe and Lugsden to shoot from inside the area, but Turner got behind it and saved well. 

In the 32nd minute, Rams had their second attempt on goal, but Danny Taberner wasn't tested as he collected Rother's 35-yard punt at his feet.

Linnets resumed attacking possession, and Rainford pulled the ball back from the 18-yard line for Brooke to shoot. Lugsden slid in at point-blank range, and his deflection looped away to safety.

Three minutes before the break, Dapo slipped between Radcliffe and Lugsden again, and again shot powerfully. Turner saved once more, in identical fashion to ten minutes earlier.

Dapo had another effort, a blistering shot from 18 yards, which took a slight defensive deflection en route, making Turner's save even more impressive, as he palmed it past the post. Tom Moore's header from the corner looped high and wide.

Hoops and Dapo had had the beating of the opposition for 45 minutes, but the pitch had frustrated many of their passes inside to Rainford and Brooke, and Turner was Rams' man of the match so far, with a succession of fine saves from close range.

The Linnets onslaught had ultimately achieved no more than Rams' single attempt on target, and it appeared that patience would be the key to three points for the visitors. 

A half-time stroll up to the high end of the ground suggested two potential advantages for Linnets in the second half. Firstly, the pitch was visibly flatter and less rutted, which should make multiple passing moves more reliable. Secondly, that's where many of at least 200 noisy Linnets fans were situated. 

But the early minutes of the second half didn't follow the script.

Ben Halfacre was fed the ball in space, shortly after the restart, but he was loitering in an offside position.

Sam Heathcote launched a drop-ball from the halfway line up to Ally Brown on the right wing. His peach of a cross traversed the six-yard box at perfect heading height, but nobody made contact. James Short kept the ball in play on the left, and pulled it back across the penalty area. James Hooper's blistering shot drew another fine save from Harry Turner.

Ramsbottom mounted their first attack towards the railway end, and it provided them with an almost implausible lead. Jamie Rother's pass set Anthony Donaldson away up the right hand side, and he crossed through the penalty area to provide an unmarked Tom Croughan with the simplest of finishes. 

Linnets fans didn't have to wait too long to ponder on whether it might be one of those days when domination doesn't prevent disappointment.

Just two minutes later, Tom Moore's diagonal ball into the Rams area was deflected away, and Ryan Brooke did well to keep it in play at the far touchline. Dapo Olarewaju picked up the ball and cut across two defenders into the centre, and flicked it on towards the area, ahead of James Hooper. 

Hoops knocked it beyond Kelvin Lugsden to run one-on-one with the advancing Turner, and drove it past him and into the net.

Parity was restored. And it became apparent that going behind might have done the Linnets a favour. There was a feeling in the air that they should have been comfortably ahead by now, and urgency and pace was injected into their game to bring that about.

James Hooper and Dapo Olarewaju were both ravenous for the ball, and each time they found it, they pressed forward and dared the Rams to take it from them.

Taberner in the Linnets goal hadn't had a great deal to do, which made his reflex save from Murphy's powerful shot on the break all the more impressive.

Back at the flatter end, Dapo sprinted into the area with Turner closing him down, and Radcliffe in pursuit. The 'keeper dived at Dapo's feet and palmed the ball out for a corner, as Radcliffe fell on Dapo from behind. Several Rams remonstrated with the Runcorn man for alleged simulation. But he received lengthy physio attention, and limped visibly for the 20 minutes that elapsed until he was subbed by Louis Holden.

Halfacre wrestled Brooke to the ground on the halfway line, and from the free-kick, Rainford and Heathcote went for the same header. Turner made another one-handed save to keep it out of the top left corner.

He saved yet again from O'Mahony's pressured header, after Sidi Sanogo had returned the ball to the area from a repelled free-kick, awarded when Neville hauled Hooper to the ground by his neck.

Ben Halfacre was denied any further chance of making his mark against his former teammates when he was replaced by Henri Ogunby, with 22 minutes remaining. Khalil Osi-Efa gave way to Ryan Jennings at the same time. 

Ryan Brooke turned his man and shot from the edge of the area, but dragged it three yards wide.

Linnets kept up the pressure, and ex-Linnet Danny McKenna received the day's only yellow card for a late challenge on Brooky.

Tom Moore's ball from halfway was prodded wide by Hoops to Ally Brown, whose shot from the right edge of the area was deflected for a corner. Turner's punch diverted O'Mahony's header for another, from the right.

James Short's inswinging corner kick cleared everyone in the six-yard box, and with Turner and his defence unsure who should go for it, the ball hit the inside of the far upright, and dropped into the net.

Linnets were belatedly ahead, after 74 minutes.

Going behind prompted attacking urgency for Rams, as it had for Linnets, and Croughan and Donaldson led the way in trying to crack open the away defence. But the back four, Sidi Sanogo and Tom Moore were having none of it, and refused to give away any of the kind of space that had allowed their hosts to score the opener.

Sam Heatchote cleared long and found Ryan Brooke outside the Rams area. Brooky lost out in a 50/50 challenge with two men on him, but immediately won it back, twisted and shot just over the bar.

Dapo Olarewaju had rivalled James Hooper for Linnets man of the match, and the close defensive attention that that had attracted, had him limping. He was replaced by Louis Holden for the last nine minutes of normal time. 

Louis' first contribution was a ball out to Brooke on the left touchline, where he was flattened by Rother. The consequent free-kick was deflected out for a corner.

Jamie Rainford and Kelvin Lugsden had been waging a private war all afternoon, with Jamie exasperated by the Rams No4 holding and wrestling at set pieces.

Neither of them took part in this one, as they engaged in an untidy boxing match instead. 

A defensive toe prevented Holden from connecting with Shorty's corner, but knocked it into the path of Ryan Brooke. His shot was flying wide of the right post, until Tom Moore's header redirected the ball back on target, and over Harry Turner, to effectively secure the points..

A 3-1 Linnets lead looked like a more realistic reflection of the game, an impression that was echoed by Turner himself. Without his contribution, the margin would have been greater.

Goalkeeper Danny Taberner had one of his quietest games since joining Linnets earlier in the season. 

The same could not be said of James Hooper, who took the applause for a great day's work as he gave way to Macauley Clifton for the last three minutes, plus similar added on for stoppages.

In that time, there was no tangible threat of a dramatic late fightback from the Rams, and Linnets deservedly cemented their fourth place in the table, with 31 points from 16 games.

Runcorn Linnets: Danny Taberner, Ally Brown, James Short, Tom Moore, Sean O'Mahony, Sam Heathcote, Ryan Brooke, James Hooper (Macauley Clifton 87), Jamie Rainford, Sidi Sanogo Fofana, Dapo Olarewaju (Louis Holden 81).  Subs not used: Josh Roberts, Eden Gumbs, Louis Hayes. 

Attendance: 303.

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