Nantwich Town 1 Runcorn Linnets 1
Report by Dave Bettley
Linnets boss Brad Cooke couldn't conceal his disappointment at Runcorn Linnets' failure bag a win at fellow play-off challengers Nantwich.
The draw - the second in as many league games under Cooke - was a good result in a close game away from home against a side immediately below Runcorn in Pitching In Northern Premier League West.
But the manager was frustrated that his side hadn't gone on to clinch all three points after recovering from a rocky start to equalise in the first half.
"We made really positive substitutions to go and win the game," said the Linnets boss. "I thought the game was there to be won.
"I'm gutted, I'm not going to lie, because our second-half performance was excellent. But our first-half performance was miles off, absolutely miles off.
"We're taking small steps but sometimes we need to make a bit of a bigger step.
"We had some really good chances to win it and not quite had enough quality wise to get us over the line.
"I feel like it was two points dropped."
Rejuvenated Ryan Brooke moved level with Linnets' North West Counties League title-winning skipper Kyle Hamid in third place on the club's all-time scoring list.
The striker's 72nd Runcorn career goal, leaving him four short of Mark Houghton's club record haul, didn't console Cooke.
The Linnets manager was quick, however, to salute the all-round influence of primary frontman Brooke, who has scored four goals in the five games since Cooke's predecessor Antony Kay departed.
"It's an absolute pleasure managing him," admitted Cooke.
"He couldn't walk, couldn't run in the second half - he was on the bed at half time - but you can't take him off, because he's a threat.
"Look at that save that the keeper's made (from Brooke) with five minutes left or whatever. He's a brilliant lad and you need leaders.
"He's a massive asset in the dressing room but more importantly on the pitch.
"I don't think there are many better No.9s when he's fit and fighting."
Runcorn had struggled to get to grips with the game early on and fell behind in the 11th minute.
Harvey Washington, replacing suspended Peter Wylie, did well to hold off an attacker near the corner flag on the Runcorn right.
But the ball found its way to Kofi Moore and the Dabbers wide took a stride to the fringe of the 18-yard box. His shot was hit hard, low and, above all, with pinpoint accuracy into the far corner.
Moore was to keep Joe Ferguson occupied on his Linnets league debut. The right full back had little chance to make the attacking impact, which he had in the midweek Cheshire Senior Cup romp against 1874 Northwich.
Runcorn could have been two down before they got going. Matthew Tweedley foraged through into a shooting position inside the box but couldn't hit the target.
Karl Clair, likewise, didn't get a clean connection after Adam Moseley had robbed the hosts of possession on the left as Linnets began to settle towards the midpoint of the half.
Clair's skewed shot found Luke Wall, who looped a trademark left-foot effort towards goal but saw it headed off the line by defender Kelvin Mellor.
Linnets levelled in the 27th minute. Mellor connceded a corner on the left as Callum Grogan closed in.
Clair delivered it low to the near post, where Brooke's speculative backheel wrongfooted the two defenders behind him and the shot sneaked between them.
Nantwich had the ball in the net again with the interval approaching - but only after knocking the ball out of Bayleigh Passant's hands., The "goal" was disallowed.
The sides returned to the dressing room knowing that neither had done enough to warrant a lead.
The second half was a similar story, Linnets soon losing skipper Jacques Welsh to an injury carried over from before the interval.
But Runcorn had a couple of great chances to snatch victory late on.
Nantwich had again looked dangerous after the restart, Runcorn being forced to scramble in defence a couple of times inside their area while Passant blocked at close quarters with his legs from Joe Robbins.
Brooke angled a header wide of the left upright at the other end, having covered half the length of the field to accept Wall's cross - after winning a 50-50 challenge in the centre circle to keep Runcorn moving forward in possession.
Into the last 10 minutes - and although by this time playing slightly deeper with substitute Lewis Crane furthest forward - Brooke forced a fine full-length save from experienced Ben Garratt - the 'keeper, with more than 300 EFL appearances behind him, springing to his right.
An even better opportunity followed from a Runcorn break, involving "two of their own".
Jorge Dwyer had come off the bench to play as a number 10 before being switched out wide.
From his left-wing run and cross, fellow Under 21s graduate Crane directed the ball goalwards from the edge of the six-yard box, if not as forcefully as he would have liked.
Garratt again got down to keep the effort out at the foot of his right post.
Neither side had settled for parity and perfect timing was essential as Ferguson tackled Moore inside the Runcorn area as the clock wound down.
The result was par for the course for the day at the higher end of the division.
Unusually, only one of the top 12 sides won.
Trafford's victory at second-placed Vauxhall Motors lifted them into sixth with Linnets and Nantwich each dropping one place - to eighth and ninth respectively, but without major damage to their play-off aspirations.
Runcorn are effectively six points off the qualification spots because of vastly-inferior goal difference. They have also played one or two games more than all above them.
However, Linnets are yet to travel to the teams in third, fourth and sixth - starting with Chasetown this Saturday.
Cooke is asking the players to turn draws into wins.
"We're going to be licking our wounds tonight because that dressing room is never going to be happy with a point," added the manager.
"It's frustrating because I know how good they are. We are so close to really kicking on.
"We need to ensure we go on a big, big run now."
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Naim Arsan, Lewis Doyle, Harvey Washington, Callum Grogan, Adam Moseley (Lewis Crane, 73 mins), Jacques Welsh (Jorge Dwyer 47 mins), Ryan Brooke, Karl Clair, Luke Wall. Subs (not used): Jack Grundy, Lewis Nolan, Jay Lee.
Attendance: 573.
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