Premier quality shows against Championship visitors
An all-star performance and there's nobody more delightd than 17-year-old left back Sam Hamling after his first goal for Linnets Under 21s.
Runcorn Linnets U21s 5
Warrington Rylands U21s 0
Report by Dave Bettley with pictures by Neil Thornton
A handful of goals shared between five different scorers saw Linnets ease through to the last eight of the North West Under 21s Development League Cup.
Such an outcome might have been safely predicted after a casual glance at the league tables - the Premier Division's second-from-top team entertaining a side next to bottom in one of ttwo Championship divisions.
A closer look would reveal Rylands' position to be misleading - they have played only three league games, a lot fewer than their rivals, and won two of them.
However, the difference in class was evident, particularly as Linnets were without key players.
They would have won by.more without some heroics from the Rylands 'keeper.
In one late first-half attack, Linnets had the visiting shotstopper moving from one side of goal to the other to save from Zack Parker and Owen Cushion.
The pattern was set from the start, Linnets camping in opposing territory and Rylands breaking out infrequently.
Runcorn went ahead in the second minute, when Joel Street hraded in from Owen Cushion's left-wing corner.
Runcorn were soon running rings around their visitors.
Man of the match Cam Schofield (right) and Ben Crane are in charge of the situation against Rylands U21s.
Rylands' centre forward and their No.7, in central midfield, internittently relieved pressure with strong bursts forward but Linnets defender Cam Schofield stepped up to the plate in the absence of his skipper Jay Lee.
Schofield gave a Thistledown Group man-of-the-match display having been joined in central defence by midfielder Billy McNay.
McNay also did well, making a vital first-half intervention, mopping up after Rylands had gone past home 'keeper George Huyton in a rare moment of danger for Linnets.
Runcorn's all-round domination was such that it was a question of how many they might muster.
Handing a midfield debut to latest signing Tom Beswick, they were somehow restricted to two before the interval but their second was something special.
Runcorn's onslaught had dropped off slightly but Cushion made the most of a long-range opportunity from a free-kick in the 24th minute.
Owen Cushion goes for goal and the Rylands keeper can't reach the 30-yard free-kick from the Runcorn midfielder.
He had scored from a set-piece on the edge of the box in the previous U21s home game against Warrington Town, but this was from 30 yards out.
Cushion launched into the top left corner of goal and had every right to punch the air in celebration.
After the break, Runcorn resumed as they had left off but Ben Crane's strike from a right-wing Parker cross came back of an upright.
Linnets and their No.9 had to wait until the 62nd minute for the third goal.
Street slipped the ball through to Crane, who made no mistake from just inside the area.
With his namesake team-mate Lewis this season enjoying more first-team game time at Linnets, Ben is benefitting from senior football with Northwich Victoria, the Midland League Premier Division leaders.
Macauley Clifton causes havoc for the Warrington defence in the first half.
Macauley Clifton, meanwhile, crowned his return to Runcorn's Under 21s ranks - the playmaking midfielder's fine finish from 20 yards, making it 4-0 in the 69th.
Goalkeeper Jaden Wright came off a bench of young Runcorn substitutes to get a first taste of U21s action, the promising 16-year-old's 80th-minute introduction the latest step forward in his development.
Another of the younger players - starting left back Sam Hamling, 17 - completed the rout in the last minute, getting his name on a Linnets scoresheet for the first time since his summer arrival with Cushion setting up the chance.
Linnets will travel to Premier Divison colleagues Stalybridge Celtic or Hyde United A in the quarter-finals.
Hyde is the destination for Ste Ellams's team in the league this Sunday, ko 10.30am.
Runcorn Linnets U21s: George Huyton, Callum Primce, Sam Hamling, Owen Cushion, Billy McNay, Cameron Schofield, Zack Parker, Tom Beswick, Ben Crane, Macauley Clifton, Joel Street. Subs (all used): Jaden Wright, Finlay Harwood, Harry Vernon, Zack Kopanski, Jack Ball.
MoM Cam Schofield with his Thistledown Group award.