Lawty's header seals victory in first Murdishaw meeting
Chris Lawton climbs highest to settle the issue in our favour
In the coming days, we will be relivingg some magic moments from past derbies as we count down to next Tuesday's Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final.
We kick off with the first home meeting with Town at Easter 2012. There were some legendary Linnets players on show with the visiting line-up included several players who had already worn the Yellow and Green or would do at a later date.
Our present management team also made their mark in the contest!
Was it really 12 years ago?
Monday April 12th 2012 - Vodkat League (NWCL) Premier Division
Runcorn Linnets 2 Runcorn Town 1
A wet derby day saw Runcorn ease to their sixth win in seven today in front of an MLS record league crowd of 602.
Despite persistent rain throughout the morning and the duration of the game, an immaculate MLS surface looked no worse at the end of 90 minutes than it did at the start of play.
The slick surface played far more to the strengths of a passing Runcorn side, than it did to the direct approach of the visitors.
Team news saw the unlucky Sean Pearson miss out due to a knock picked up in the closing stages of Saturday’s visit to Barnoldswick.
Neil Murphy replaced Pearson in a switch that saw Adam Wade and Matty Atherton move to the flanks, and Kev Towey partner Rob Whyte up front.
The pattern for the game was set early on, with Runcorn pressing and the visitors happy to play on the break.
Chris Lawton’s 4th minute free kick was blocked by the wall, but fell for Neil Murphy to send another shot on target. Karl Wills did well to react to a deflection on Murphy’s shot and palm the ball behind for a corner.
Damien’s only real work of the first period came just a few minutes later. Warren Bellew cut in from the right and attempted to curl his shot round Eastham into the far top corner.
Although Damien needed two attempts, he comfortably kept the effort out.
On more than one occasion in the opening 20 minutes, the visitors back three looked decidedly shaky.
A dangerous back pass from Tom Spearitt to Karl Wills on 15 minutes, highlighted the vulnerability. Runcorn kept pressing, with Adam Wade shooting over and Matty Atherton being dispossessed as he turned in the area.
Although both wings were proving fruitful for Runcorn, it was down the Runcorn right against the opposition Captain, Ste Latham, where they had found the visitors weak link.
Neil Murphy had time to drill a great cross on to Rob Bodie’s head just before the half hour, but Bodie’s glancing header skidded a couple of yards wide with Wills beaten.
Runcorn’s next chance came when Daniel Dalton presented the ball straight to Matty Atherton. Athers ran at the heart of the defence, before slipping the ball into Towey on the left. Towey cut back inside and unleashed a powerful near post shot, but once again, Wills did well to keep it out.
It was then ‘keeper’s turn to give the ball away under pressure, when his clearance fell to David Hill.
Hilly was unlucky that the ball got stuck under his feet, otherwise a first time shot would have been on with the ‘keeper stranded.
Instead, Hill managed to work the ball to Rob Whyte, who saw his thunderbolt skid just wide of the far post.
It was all Runcorn, but when Matty Atherton’s low cross was prevented from sneaking straight in, it looked like the half may end even.
With 3 minutes of the half remaining though, Runcorn got the goal they deserved. Kev Towey had far too much skill for Ste Latham and after losing him easily, took Wills out of the game with a chip to Rob Whyte, who once he got up, had the simple task of nodding into the empty net. 1-0 and fully deserved at half time. Other than the odd breakaway from long balls, the visitors hadn’t looked dangerous at all.
Tom Spearitt nearly sliced into his own net in the opening minute of the second period, but was relieved to see the ball land in the arms of his goalkeeper. Another foray down the right ended with a superb Kev Towey cross and the impressive Adam Wade was unfortunate not to direct his header on target.
Notwithstanding those openings from Runcorn, the first 20 minutes of the second period was probably the best spell of the game for the visitors. For all the pressure though, a wildly sliced free kick was the sum total of the goal threat.
The visitors were the first to make changes when the physical presence of Jason Carey was replaced by the even bigger physical presence of Gareth Grant on the hour.
Although shots on goal were limited, Runcorn were retreating and paid the price when the scores were levelled on 63 minutes. Warren Bellew turned smartly on the edge of the area and curled a shot into the far bottom corner. Although the faithful didn’t know it at the time, it was to be the last effort of the game at that end of the field.
The goal galvanised Runcorn and they responded immediately. Michael Ellison picked out Kev Towey at the back post, but Wills just managed to smother his close range effort.
Spearitt headed Rob Whyte’s corner clear, but Murphy worked the ball back out to the skipper. Bodie met Whyte’s cross sending it looping to the back post. Still up field from the corner, Chris Lawton’s eyes lit up as he attacked the ball with power and aggression and absolutely buried his header to stun the visitors with the perfect riposte.
After both Bodie and Lawton missed the corresponding Boxing Day fixture, it was a nice twist of fate for the two to combine for what proved to be the winner this time around.
The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern to the first half with Runcorn doing all the attacking and the visitors limited to hopeful long balls for their quick front men. Gareth Grant, eventually managed to get a shot away, but it dribbled harmlessly wide of Damien’s left post.
If anyone was going to score again, it was going to be Runcorn. David Hill’s pulled shot was nearly deflected in to his own net by Daniel Dalton, and also narrowly missed Towey for a tap in. Then it was Athers’ turn, when his goal bound effort was deflected off an opposition back for a corner.
After more fantastic work from Towey on the right, Atherton slipped on the wet surface when he looked certain to make it three.
For one moment, it looked like Dalton had turned Atherton’s low cross into his own net, but the big centre half escaped the embarrassment by just conceding a corner.
Having come on for Rob Whyte, Chris Dykes had time to go close twice in the last eight minutes. Firstly, he profited from more slack play in the visitors' defence, but was unlucky not to go round the ‘keeper, before he fired inches wide from 20 yards.
Referee Lamb, who handled a potentially tricky assignment very well, brought proceedings to an end after 3 additional minutes, much to the enjoyment of the vast majority of the 602 in attendance.
Not a day to pick out individuals, but suffice to say that battles were won all over the field. Runcorn looked mentally and physically stronger towards the end, and had they converted any of the numerous close misses, 3-1 would have provided a much more accurate reflection of the 90 minutes.
A well deserved few days off for the lads now, before a trip to Padiham on Saturday.
Play of the day – Michael Ellison missed the Boxing Day defeat, and showed today what we missed. Halfway through the second half, Ellison showed Scott Burton who was boss when he tracked him for 20 yards, before putting in a tremendous challenge to take the ball. Superb from Ello.
Runcorn Linnets: Damien Eastham, Neil Murphy (Lewis Savva, 77 mins), Jonah O’Reilly, Rob Bodie, Chris Lawton, Michael Ellison, Kev Towey, David Hill, Matt Atherton, Rob Whyte (C) (Chris Dykes, 82 mins), Adam Wade. Subs not used: Paul Prescott, Gareth Peet, Paul Bowes.
Runcorn Town: Wills, Latham (C), McGrath, Burton (Cummins, 69), Dalton, Spearitt, Shanley, Keddie (Adegbenro, 78), Carey (Grant, 60), McShane, Bellew. Subs not used: Salt, Kinsey.
Attendance: 602
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