28^th February 2023, Runcorn Linnets FC v Macclesfield FC : 2-1 Sponsored by 'In loving memory of Angela Williams'

Linnets were aiming for a second County FA semi-final of the season, having already advanced to the same stage of the Liverpool Senior Cup.

In their way was the considerable obstacle of Macclesfield FC, with the prize being a home tie against National League club Altrincham.

Linnets were encouraged in the task by a memorable 2-1 home victory over the Pitching In NPL West's runaway leaders, on November 22nd. That remains one of only two away league defeats for the Silkmen. 

It was a very different Macclesfield team that returned to Runcorn, with an array of young faces joining left-back Sam Grimshaw, the only survivor of that fixture in November.

The vast strength in depth of the Silkmen's squad was also reflected by a completely different starting eleven from their 1-0 away win at Workington on Saturday.

But there were also only seven Linnets starting for a second time against Macclesfield, due to a string of injuries to leading players, and Ollie McFadyen, Matty Birchall and Adam Moseley all being cup-tied.

Striker Lorenzo Spinelli had been signed at short notice from Glossop North End, following Saturday's calf injury to Jamie Rainford, which has almost certainly ended his season, and Ryan Brooke's unresolved hamstring problem.

Brooky was joined on the bench by three Linnets under-21s outfield players, in Josh Elverstone, Jack Wheatley and Ben Dobbie plus 'keeper Josh Roberts.

Any idea that the inclusion of so many young players meant Macclesfield didn't consider the competition important, was belied by the presence of their famous director Robbie Savage, not just at the game, but at the front of his team's technical area for all of the 90 minutes.

A quick end-to-end start to the game produced no chances, until a fourth-minute cross by James Short was met by the head of Dan Gowan just before it could reach the advancing Spinelli or Holden. 

Both of them, with Gumbs and Moore, were applying mounting pressure on the Macc defence.

In the sixth minute, Dylan Greaves broke away and sidestepped O'Mahony's challenge, but dragged a shot wide. Two minutes later, at the other end, Tom Moore shot over the bar.

A ten-minute spell saw Linnets on the front foot, with the ball resident mostly in the Macclesfield half, but energetic defending prevented their possession from unduly worrying visiting 'keeper Joe O'Shaughnessy.

In the 18th minute, however, he did have to dive to be sure that Ally Brown's shot from a tight angle, after he had beaten two men to the goal line, would find only the outside of the net.

Linnets stayed on the offensive, and a crossfield move involving Holden, Gumbs and Short resulted in a corner from the left. Lewis Doyle's kick found Sam Heathcote beyond the far post.

His header cleared everyone in the six-yard box, including O'Shaugnessy, and crept under the bar to give Runcorn the lead. 

Despite very few chances emerging in the first 21 minutes, the goal came very much with the run of play.

Sam also achieved the first yellow card of the night for pulling back Greaves, just outside the Runcorn area. James Hardy flicked the free-kick left for Tom Thorpe to unleash a blistering shot that looked like an equaliser all the way, until Danny Taberner pulled off a fantastic leaping save to divert it over the bar.

Linnets regrouped and pressed towards the Forest End again. 

Tom Moore played a ball wide to Short on the left, and his cross was blocked for a corner. Heathcote met Doyley's kick from an near identical spot to that nine minutes earlier, and almost achieved the same result. His header was bound for the far post, until Sean O'Mahony followed up from three yards out.

Linnets were 2-0 up, with centre-backs converting from very similar circumstances. It appeared that Macclesfield's emerging young defenders had some work to do on coping with corners.

Runcorn didn't rest on their laurels, but kept up the attacking onslaught. The Silkmen defended with determination, but they looked understandably rattled. Nobody who wasn't wearing blue and white, or a ubiquitous white hoody, could argue that Linnets weren't well worth their two goal lead.

Several minutes of attrition in the middle third were interrupted by a rare Macclesfield advance into opposition territory, but it was curtailed by an offside flag.

Six minutes before half time, a ball into the Runcorn area was gathered safely by Danny Taberner, but a baffling mystery unfolded, as referee Nick Barnard whistled, flourished a yellow card, and pointed to the penalty spot. It took the remainder of the evening to get to the bottom of it, although we were still barely the wiser.

Navid Nasseri dispatched the penalty in style, into the top right corner, with Tabs diving the other way.

With little incident occupying the last five minutes before the break, the 482 present, plus most players and coaching staff, were free to ponder on who had been cautioned, and for what. Macc fans who had been stationed behind the goal at the other end asked us what had happened, but we struggled to help.

My own assumption was that Mr Barnard must have seen a handball, but only Taberner seemed to have been anywhere near the ball.

There was a debate about whether Ally Brown or Isaac Turner had received the yellow card. That was narrowed down when Isaac was cautioned for a foul, 15 minutes from the end of the game, and stayed on the pitch. 

Ally told me afterwards that he had indeed been booked, and had been told that it was for a shirt pull that prevented Cynan Douglas from challenging Tabs for the ball.

He admitted to having made the tamest of tugs at the Macc No.9 shirt, but that neither of them was anywhere near the ball or the Runcorn 'keeper. Hence the universal head-scratching at what had transpired.

In any event, the visitors started the second half with just a single goal deficit to address, and they set out to do so with two quick substitutions.

Gilberto Gomez and Aiden Mcdade replaced Liam McColl and Dylan Greaves, respectively.

Two crosses came into the Macclesfield area from the right, the second headed wide by Spinelli, and at the other end, Gomez fired well over from ten yards. 

Danny Taberner was hurt when he came out to block Douglas's solo break into the area, and after receiving lengthy physio attention, he still looked uneasy on his feet for a few minutes.

After a spell of frenetic chasing and blocking by both slides in the middle third, James Short saw yellow for a lunge towards James Hardy which didn't connect, but which sparked a massed scuffle, but no further disciplinary action.

Macclesfield's free-kick from 40 yards was launched towards the six-yard box, and home fans were relieved to see that Tabs was fit enough to leap high and gather the ball.

Inside the last half-hour, Nasseri evaded Short for long enough to make a pass to Grimshaw, who flashed a low shot across goal and well wide of the right post.

Linnets played keep-ball for a while, and back in their own half, a loose pass forward by Sean O'Mahony allowed a Macc break which ended with Douglas finding the net, but he was offside by a distance.

Eden Gumbs was playing a leading role in threatening the Macclesfield rearguard, supported by the advances of James Short up the left, with Spinelli and Holden looking for space to exploit the possession.

Shorty took numerous throw-ins up the left flank, conceded by dogged Macc defending.

O'Shaughnessy came out to meet a long Lewis Doyle ball up to his area, and he slammed his clearance attempt into the chasing Spinelli.

The debuting centre-forward couldn't quite catch up with the ball, as it rebounded wide of the left post.

Jefferson Abrew was the third Silkman to be substituted, when Jorge Gudiel came on for the last 20 minutes, as his side had their most consistent attacking spell of the game.

Solid Linnets defending limited their efforts to three corners, all of which were solidly dealt with.

Less than 15 minutes remained when Jack Wheatley began his Runcorn first-team debut, in place of Louis Holden. He took his place wide on the left, to help profit from the forward-going efforts of Short and Gumbs.

Eden dragged a shot wide of the right post after forcing his way through the centre of the Macclesfield defence.

Douglas gave way to Nathan Beca with ten minutes remaining and, five minutes later, a second Runcorn debut followed, when Josh Elverstone replaced Isaac Turner.

In the meantime, Tom Moore added his name to Mr Barnard's book by bundling James Hardy to the ground as Macc sped forward on the break, with most of the men in yellow and green still at the clubhouse end, from a thwarted mass attack.

A weak free-kick curled over the defensive wall, but was headed away by Ally Brown.

Eden Gumbs muscled through to a loose ball and passed to Lewis Doyle, who shot over the bar.

Runcorn confidence was concentrated on attacking to pave the way to a semi-final, trusting the remaining back four to keep the doors closed at the back.

But it was Sam Heathcote, who engineered a potential knockout punch.

His decisive contribution in both halves of the pitch earned him the Dron & Dickson-sponsored man of the match award.

Lewis Doyle's ball into the area was headed on by Elverstone and pursued by Sam to the goal line, wide of the right post.

O'Shaughnessy dived at his feet, and brought him down. 

For the second time, the referee pointed to the spot without a moment's hesitation.

But for the second time, it was a soft one. Sam had already poked the ball beyond his own reach.

With the season's penalty specialist Jamie Rainford sidelined, Linnets skipper James Short stepped up to put the game to bed. 

I later asked Shorty why it might be that he can find either top bin with a free-kick from 30 yards, but from the penalty spot …

Fortunately, he didn't hit me, any more than he had hit the target from twelve yards. Unless the target was the car park. 

But Linnets didn't have to rue the missed opportunity. They saw out the last two minutes, and five more added on, principally on the attack.

Macclesfield squeezed in another substitution, swapping Grimshaw for Teo Lopes, and a yellow card, for Tom Thorpe's trip on Josh Elverstone, when he was running on the area with one more defender to beat.

An entertaining game ended in a well-deserved victory for Linnets. They have nine league games with which to secure a place in the promotion play-offs, plus two cup semi-finals to look forward to.

The following morning, it was announced that the Liverpool Senior Cup tie would be away at Bootle, on a date to be confirmed.

Runcorn Linnets: Danny Taberner, Ally Brown, James Short, Isaac Turner (Josh Elverstone, 85 mins), Sean O'Mahony, Sam Heathcote, Louis Holden (Jack Wheatley, 76 mins), Tom Moore,  Lorenzo Spinelli, Lewis Doyle, Eden Gumbs.  Subs not used: Josh Roberts (GK), Ben Dobbie, Ryan Brooke. 

Attendance: 482.

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