7^th February 2023, Runcorn Linnets FC v Skelmersdale United : 3-0 Sponsored by John & Kathy Greenhalgh

Linnets welcomed Skelmersdale United to APEC Taxis Stadium, still in search of a first league victory in 2023.

They were hoping to revisit the form of early September, in which a second-half goal blitz delivered a 4-1 win over the Blues at their temporary home, Burscough's Community Stadium.

The 470 who attended on a surprisingly mild February night were treated to a composed and assured performance, which might easily have provided a more comprehensive victory than even the 3-0 final scoreline.

Brand new signing Ollie McFadyen, latterly Stockport Georgians' young player of the year, and previously of Rochdale, Fleetwood Town and Stockport County, was slotted straight into the starting line-up, and he made an immediate impact.

Ollie scored the opening goal, laid on another, and set up at least two more near things, to mark his debut with the Dron & Dickson-sponsored man of the match award.

But a confidence-boosting Linnets display was about more than just Ollie, with an air of authority exuded throughout the side - reminiscent of the form that had taken Runcorn to second place in the Pitching In NPL West table in early December.

A first Runcorn shot cleared the Skelmersdale bar in the third minute, and that was to be one of half a dozen attempts on goal that were too high, but not by much.

Skelmersdale were allowed little of the ball in the early stages. When they did get forward, a rock-solid showing from a back line augmented by Eden Gumbs at left back, with club captain James Short taking a breather on the bench, allowed them almost no opportunities to test Danny Taberner in the Linnets goal.

Tabs was largely limited to a sweeper's role, and the only concern he gave home fans was when, from a distance, he appeared poised to score from close range for United.

Such was the colour clash between his shocking pink ensemble and Skem's all-red away kit. We assumed that the visitors had been expected to turn out in their first choice all blue.

Gumbs won a series of tackles as Skem attempted to advance up their right flank. Eden reminded the Linnets fans of how impressed they had been when he deputised at full-back for the injured Shorty, back in the autumn.

Sam Heathcote's solid header from Lewis Doyle's 10th-minute corner was cleared, and McFadyen and Ally Brown combined to threaten on the right, but a foul on Tom Freeman was called.

Runcorn had control of the ball and were settling into the calm passing game that had been missing in recent weeks.

Skelmersdale were having to chase hard without the ball, and they would surely tire if the pattern continued.

A long clearance from Skem was guarded by Sean O'Mahony from one opponent, but not a second, and there was some relief for home fans when a flick on to Elliot Morris in the area found him in an offside position.

There were to be very few such anxious moments throughout the remaining 70 minutes.

Ollie McFadyen received a pass from Ally Brown towards the right corner flag, and he outsmarted two defenders to cut in along the goal line and deliver a cross from which Gumbs, hurtling up to his preferred presence in attack, would surely score.

But Eden leaned back, and his shot cleared the bar.

But it took only two minutes more for the pair to combine in putting Runcorn in front.

Ollie pounced on a loose ball 30 yards from goal, left of centre, and received a swift return on his pass to Eden at the edge of the penalty area. He took three more touches across a square defence, and found enough of a gap to slot the ball into the bottom left corner, for his first goal in yellow and green.

Runcorn attacks kept coming, with balls up to Rainford, Brooke and McFadyen. Doyle and Hayes also created a great deal of urgency, if not panic, among the Skelmersdale defence.

Half an hour had passed when the visitors next presented a threat. Noah Alabi's run into the Linnets area was thwarted by Heathcote and O'Mahony. Then a free-kick from inside the Runcorn half was headed on towards goal by Will Bell, but it was an easy catch for Taberner.

Linnets returned to the offensive, and Lewis Doyle, who was a surprising presence after he had ended Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Colne limping heavily, had a shot deflected high into the six-yard box.

Jamie Rainford bundled the ball the wrong side of the left post, but was flagged offside anyway.

One of United's best chances of the evening came from a free-kick, ten minutes before the break. With the defence shaping to defend a ball into the area from 30 yards out, Elliot Morris tried a cheeky shot inside the left post. Tabs had to make sure it didn't sneak in, with a full length dive to palm the ball wide.

The Murdishaw Massive were a little quiet, somewhat surprisingly after the best 40 minutes of Linnets football for some weeks. But they were to find their collective voice when their team turned around to attack the clubhouse end after the break.

In the closing minutes of the first half, yellow cards were shown to Skem's Stephen Milne and Linnets' Tom Moore, both for seemingly minor fouls. Up on the media platform, the referee's assessor gave us the inside info, that both cards were the consequence of Milne and Moore's fourth fouls. Every day's a school day.

Tom's caution came a minute after he had unleashed a powerful shot on goal, which United 'keeper Sam Ashton did well to parry, from near the left post. Jamie Rainford was on hand to slip the ball behind Ashton into the net, but he was flagged offside, much to his disgust.

When Alabi went down at length after Ryan Brooke had beaten him to a 50/50 ball inside the Runcorn area, Brooky and Jamie spent the delay in calm but protracted debate with the referee's assistant, about that offside verdict.

Two added minutes at the end of the first half were spent largely in the Skelmersdale half, but concerted defending prevented any further chances.

The most commonly-heard phrase among the Runcorn faithful at half-time was 'Well, that was better', and optimism was further encouraged as the second half began, and a more ebullient showing from the Massive matched the efforts of the team.

In the first minute of the second period, Ally Brown advanced rapidly up the right wing and crossed to Jamie Rainford in the centre of the area. Jamie turned and shot, but despite being partially unsighted by his centre-backs, Ashton held on to the ball.

Just a minute later, Jamie executed a similar spin and shot to meet Ollie McFadyen's cross, and this time, the United 'keeper had no chance. The Runcorn assistant manager had his 20th goal of the season.

Linnets had looked more confident all night than in recent weeks, but their self assurance was boosted by the two-goal margin. Skem responded by attacking, but the Runcorn back five remained unflappable. They looked like more of a back six, as Danny Taberner was still more sweeper than 'keeper.

Back at the clubhouse end, a beauty of a ball from Gumbs up to McFadyen set the debutant away on goal, but he was offside, narrowly if at all.

Teams who had troubled Runcorn most this season, especially at the APEC, had done so by pressing and taking the game to them. Skelmersdale appeared to be sitting back in a containing mode. But it would be unfair to suggest they weren't attempting to get forward, and even more so to ignore that Linnets, as a team, were keeping a solid shape that allowed the visitors very few openings.

Runcorn's passing game was dominating possession once more, and before the hour mark elapsed, it resulted in an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Ally Brown's cross into a populated six-yard box was contested by Brooke, Gumbs and Ashton. The Skem 'keeper got a glove to it, but couldn't hold on, and when it fell to ground, Eden took his chance and prodded the ball home.

The reluctant full-back was consoled by the number 3 shirt being no barrier to his goalscoring ambitions. And Linnets fans with a penchant for berating referees had to applaud Mr Davies, for not following the modern fashion of treating any aerial challenge with a goalkeeper as a foul.

The game was over as a contest, with half an hour still to play, but both managers made changes.

Dave Wild introduced Sidi Sanogo Fofana in place of Lewis Doyle, and Richard Brodie withdrew Joe Herbert and Noah Alabi in favour of Callum Lees and Danny O'Brien.

Linnets attacks kept coming. Ally Brown's cross clipped Ryan Brooke's boot on its way through the six-yard box. The on-rushing Eden Gumbs opted for power from beyond the far post, and fired over the bar.

The bar was cleared again by Sam Heathcote's well-placed header from outside the area, from a corner on the left, and Ollie McFadyen went down in the area as he chased Brooky's pass, but it was a well timed tackle by Gerrard Warren.

It was Ollie's final contribution to an impressive debut, as he was subbed soon afterwards by Matty Birchall, just after Skem had also replaced Harry Hagan with Martyn Jackson.

The visitors saw more of the ball as the game headed into its last ten minutes, but Linnets kept their shape and bided their time, limiting advances into their third of the pitch, and continuing to give Danny Taberner a relatively quiet night.

With seven normal minutes left on the clock, a great Matty Birchall header into the area from the left was laid off by Jamie Rainford into the path of Ryan Brooke. His choice to beat the advancing 'keeper was with either a chip or a low shot. He opted for the former, and it landed on the roof of the net.

Three minutes remained when Birchall broke into the area from the right. Rainford screamed for a pass into the middle, and voiced his dissatisfaction after Matty had opted to shoot, and yet another attempt had cleared the bar.

Isaac Turner was given a brief cameo appearance in place of Louis Hayes, shortly before four added minutes were announced.

They were spent mostly by Linnets holding the line against Skelmersdale persistence in getting forward, leaving the man in pink with little to do other than sweeping up and taking a handful of goal kicks.

The final whistle marked a long- awaited Runcorn win, and while it was never a vintage performance by Skelmersdale, the outcome said less about their failings than it did about a disciplined and confident showing by the home side.

The clean sheet was as pleasing for Linnets as was the comfortable winning margin.

Perhaps greater volumes were spoken by Jamie Rainford's undisguised frustration that more goals hadn't been scored.

He will be looking forward to that being rectified, during Newcastle Town's visit to the APEC on Saturday February 11th.

Runcorn Linnets: Danny Taberner, Ally Brown, Eden Gumbs, Tom Moore, Sean O'Mahony, Sam Heathcote, Louis Hayes (Isaac Turner, 89 mins), Lewis Doyle (Sidi Sanogo Fofana, 61 mins), Jamie Rainford, Ryan Brooke, Ollie McFadyen (Matty Birchall, 73 mins). Subs (not used): James Short, Vaughn Green.

Attendance:470.

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