Report by Dave Bettley, pictures by Kelly Jones
TWO heavy defeats in three days over the Bank Holiday weekend have left winless Runcorn Linnets in an unaccustomed second-from-bottom position in Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division.
It was hoped after Saturday's defeat at home to Hednesford Town, in which Runcorn held a 1-0 interval lead before eventually losing 6-2, that things could only get better.
But on Monday, Linnets shipped four unanswered goals on their former home ground at Witton Albion.
Runcorn had the consolation of knowing after succumbing to big spenders Hednesford that they had performed well enough before the break.
But the 4-0 loss to their one-time Wincham Park landlords had no such crumbs of comfort.
The depleted Yellows trailed from the fourth minute and looked wide open at what is these days ironically called U Lock It Stadium.
Witton, who had a troubled pre-season themselves with a shock managerial change, plunged an already disappointing start to Runcorn's campaign into further strife.
After gifting the hosts their lead - Bayleigh Passant spilling a free-kick into his own net under no pressure - Linnets survived further loss until the break.
In so doing, their No.1 redeemed himself with a superb diving save from a Witton penalty kick and produced another stunning stop to keep his team in contention.
The spot-kick was highly controversial as it looked as though the Witton player had merely toppled over as Jaden Jones challenged for the ball.
In an eventful half, Passant needed five minutes of treatment for a head injury with a bandage being applied to a nasty gash.
Witton exploited huge gaps in Runcorn's midfield, again missing Lewis Doyle, to carve through an unguarded defence .
Ryan Brooke cut a lonely figure in attack.
With little support or service from either out wide or through the middle, Brooke produced Runcorn's lone shot on target in the first half.
His effort from the left of the box was saved low down by Danny Roberts.
Half-time saw Antony Kay, who has reluctantly come out of a short playing retirement through necessity, having to substitute himself due to a hamstring issue.
With Jack Grundy still to make his competitive debut because of a pre-season injury and two other possible centre back picks, Peter Wylie and Sam Carr having joined the casualty list during Saturday's defeat, midfielder and captain for the day Jacques Welsh retreated into the heart of defence to cover for Kay's departure.
Eden Gumbs reverted to midfield with club captain James Short replacing him at left back from the bench.
Runcorn's best effort of the game followed almost immediately after half-time, James Hooper delivering a cross from the right for Taylor Bowen.
The on-loan Blackpool teenager met it sweetly, right-footed on the volley, and his far-post effort looked a goal all the way until it curled the wrong side of the goalkeeper's left upright.
Witton, however, doubled their lead in the 55th minute from the first of Joe Duckworth's brace.
A seemingly innocuous cross from the rught prompted a curious stand-off by Runcorn's defence. Albion's No.9 gratefully capitalised.
Duckworth's second was from the hosts' second penalty of the match, awarded after an off-the-ball incident.
It also brought Welsh his second yellow, forcing Linnets to negotiate the remaining 21 minutes with 10 men.
With Runcorn even more at sixes and sevens, substitute Wealth Dasilva slammed home to put the visitors out of their misery in the 83rd minute.
Kay promptly introduced Josh Elverstone for his first direct involvement of the season in attack, Adam Moseley having already come on as a sub.
But whatever Linnets tried, no combination was successful.
Shrugging off such a defeat will not be easy, seeing as it came so soon after Saturday's big reversal in a topsy-turvy encounter at home.
Eden Gumbs' stoppage-time goal had been the least they deserved for their first-half efforts against Hednesford.
But there was always a feeling that despite going in 1-0 up, Runcorn had not made the most of the wind in their favour.
Rob Stevenson levelled for Hednesford in the 56th minute and in a remarkable turnaround, the Staffordshire side alarmingly scored another five in little more than half an hour.
The goals came from Daniel Trickett-Smith - Stevenson's former title-winning team-mate at Leek Town - Sion Spence, Manny Duku (penalty) and Zidan Sutherland (2).
Most of them stemmed from defensive mistakes and uncertainty.
The landslide was interrupted by a consolation from Linnets substitute Sam Barratt - his goal briefly making it 5-2 - before Hednesford completed the rout with their sixth.
On the back of the midweek FA Cup exit at Wythenshawe Town, two heavy league defeats have left Linnets with two points from a possible 12.
Only Atherton Collieries are below them, the newly-relegated side picking up their first point of the season at Wythenshawe in the second of their Bank Holiday games.
At the same time, Stafford (the other team dropping from the NPL Premier) picked up their maiden win as a West Division side at Hanley to go above Linnets.
Promoted Congleton Town will visit APEC Taxis Stadium and Antony Kay, yet to have a full-strength squad at his disposal, expects to have some of the injured players back as Linnets look to spark their campaign to life.
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