3^rd December 2022, Leek Town v Runcorn Linnets FC : 0-2

Leek Town must be sick of the sight of Runcorn Linnets.

Not only have the Yellow & Greens still to taste defeat at Harrison Park but they have now recorded an impressive five wins from six visits to the Staffordshire Moorlands ground.

Last season, Runcorn were the only team to do the double over Leek in Pitching In Northern Premier League West.

They added for good measure a 4-1 win in the Promotion Play-off semi-final - one of the best performances in Linnets history.

Second-placed Leek came into this latest encounter top of the form table after seven straight league wins.

But if the Blues sensed a chance to start settling old scores, they were in for a shock.

Dave Wild's side are a formidable outfit themselves, a fact underlined by home victory last month over leaders Macclesfield, hitherto the only team to overturn Leek away from home.

Linnets' recent return of 14 points from a possible 18 had lifted them to fourth in the league standings.

They briefly rose to third with this victory before dropping back to their starting position with Workington winning later in the afternoon at Newcastle Town.

But weekend draws for Macc, Clitheroe and Mossley have only strengthened Runcorn's hand.

Six points off the summit, they have played a game fewer than the table toppers.

With their results over their last half dozen games, Linnets have succeeded Leek at the head of the form table.

After making changes for Wednesday's Liverpool County FA Senior Cup victory at City of Liverpool, Linnets boss Wild recalled Ally Brown, Jamie Rainford, Sidi Sanogo Fofana and Tom Moore to a more familiar starting line-up.

Moore featured on the left in a defensive three before switching to central midfield as a second-half substitution brought about a more customary back four.

Runcorn looked equally strong in both formations.

In the 3-5-2, industrious man of the match Lewis Doyle had been ably supported in a dominant midfield by Louis Hayes and Sanogo.

Usual full backs Ally Brown and James Short were given freedom to venture forward as wing backs.

These two extra attackers combined for the away side's opener.

In Rainford and Ryan Brooke, Runcorn boast two of the league's most lethal finishers.

Give them the ammunition and there's every chance of goals.

Fifteen minutes in, Short from the left picked out Brown on the right of the box.

His drilled cross to the far post, although perhaps not executed quite as intended, created panic in the home defence.

Brooke's resulting effort was saved but Rainford pounced in typical style for his 16th campaign goal.

Referee David Hinton wasn't sure if the ball had crossed the line but, after the briefest of delays, he awarded the goal on the say-so of the assistant to his right.

Linnets fans nearest the action were sure it was a legitimate strike.

A single-goal lead was the least Runcorn had deserved, athough Leek were aggrieved.

It was a feeling which lingered among the home fans for the remainder, Mr Hinton the target of their wrath.

Linnets were adamant that at 1-0 up they should have had a penalty.

Claims by Sean O'Mahony that his goalbound header from a first-half corner had been handled were supported simultaneously by team-mates in close proximity but not by the man in the middle.

Rainford was teed up by Sanogo for a shot from the left of the penalty area but the effort bypassed the right post.

Leek had looked dangerous when advancing quickly on the counter attack, primarily through leading scorer Rob Stevenson, but their threat was intermittent.

Danny Taberner had to move swiftly inside his six-yard area, jumping to punch away a Tom Thorley cross, but that was as much as the Linnets 'keeper was tested in the first 45 minutes. Leek's best efforts were off target.

Runcorn could have predicted greater intensity from the hosts after the break.

This happened to a degree - Runcorn didn't boss the contest as clearly as they had before the break

But five minutes in, they came close to doubling their advantage.

O'Mahony's luck in front of goal continued to be out.

Another header from a corner saw the Runcorn centre back being thwarted again, this time by the thickness of the right post.

But the second goal Runcorn needed as extra insurance came after 62 minutes.

Lewis Doyle doesn't score many but his goals are usually memorable. This one was no exception.

Brooke set up the all-action midfielder for an unstoppable top-corner finish to 'keeper Danny Roberts's right.

It only added to Leek's frustrations, which had again surfaced moments earlier.

Billy Reeves remonstrated with the referee after being pulled up for a foul on Sidi Sanogo.

The Leek No.8's animated march towards the official earned him a caution.

Runcorn picked up two yellows, Dapo Olarewaju and Taberner the recipients for time wasting.

Such a tactic hadn't really been necessary as Runcorn's rearguard largely had matters under control.

Leek belatedly raised their game in the closing stages.

Olly Harrison, Josh Ryder and sub Scott Warra had headed opportunities to make Runcorn sweat a little more, but all were wide of the mark.

The crowd of 506 for the all-ticket noon fixture - kick off having been brought forward to avoid clashing with a possible World Cup last-16 tie involving England - was less than half the attendance for last season's play-off encounter.

But despite the early start, there was still a good following from Runcorn.

Inter-action at the final whistle showed that the fans were just as happy as the players with the performance and result.

APEC Taxis Stadium will this week see its last first-team action before Christmas with Trafford visiting on Tuesday, December 6th and Newcastle Town following suit on Saturday, December 10th.

Runcorn Linnets:Danny Taberner, Ally Brown, James Short, Lewis Doyle, Sean O'Mahony, Sam Heathcote, Louis Hayes (Dapo Olarewaju, 57 mins), Tom Moore, Jamie Rainford (James Hooper, 68 mins), Sidi Sanogo Fofana, Ryan Brooke. Subs (not used): Macauley Clifton, Zack Clarke, Louis Holden.

Attendance: 506.

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