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County campaign continues on two fronts after Cheshire Cup win

Runcorn Linnets 2 Vauxhall Motors 1



Report by Dave Bettley with pictures from Kelly Jones


Midfielder Karl Clair scored one goal and engineered another in an industrious man-of-the-match display as Runcorn's progress in the county knockouts continued.


Winners on penalties in the Liverpool FA Senior Cup last Tuesday, Linnets this time advanced in Cheshire's equivalent competition. They are into the quarter-finals of both.


An end-to-end contest was close enough to have ended in another shootout.


However, Lewis Doyle's 73rd-minute strike settled one of the best games seen at APEC Taxis Stadium this season.


Clair had given Linnets the interval lead they had deserved, not so much on the run of play as on chances created.


But Jawad Jebrin pulled Vauxhall level soon after the restart, the Motormen beginning the second half as purposefully as they had the first, only for Linnets to again bounce back.


With Adam Moseley unavailable, Ryan Brooke stepped up his comeback with a first start since breaking his collar bone in September's league meeting of the teams in Ellesmere Port - likewise won by Antony Kay's side.


Bayleigh Passant got the nod in goal, having missed out to Tom Myles in the last two games.


With Peter Wylie reporting sick, Harvey Washington and Jack Grundy resumed their central defensive partnership.


They coped well with difficult opponents in Connor Rankin and the towering Josh Quarless.


Jacques Welsh was back to direct the traffic in midfield after being suspended for Saturday's Northern Premier League West draw at Trafford.


The selection of Eden Gumbs at left back enabled Naim Arsan to revert to a more attacking role ahead of him.


Arsan was lively on the flank, Luke Wall likewise catching the eye in the early exchanges as the main support for Brooke through the middle.


For all their endeavours, both sides were largely restricted to long shots before opportunities started to arise more frequently with the interval approaching.


Brooke got on the end of an Arsan cross, isolating the two Vauxhall centre backs, but in meeting it on the stretch, the striker couldn't  control his header to get it on target.


Wall forced a useful low save from Jack Atkinson, the Vauxhall 'keeper, after Arsan and Gumbs had linked impressively.


The visitors produced by far their best chance of the half when captain and centre forward Rankin headed down for Jebrin.


But the speedy winger fired wide of the left post, his shot from a great position inside the penalty area going across goal.


Similarly, Runcorn's Sam Barratt was picked out in the right of the visitors' box by a searching ball by Brooke.


But rather than shooting, the full back tried to find a team-mate in the middle and his attempted pass went astray.


With the tie about to enter first-half stoppage time, Runcorn took the lead.


A one-two involving Brooke and Saxon culminated in the latter crossing from the right.


The ubiquitous Clair had begun the half with a tremendous run back towards his own goal to cover a dangerous Vauxhall break.


He ended it by finishing into the left corner.


Upon the restart, the Motormen -holding second place in the league table to Runcorn's 13th - upped the ante with 20 minutes of pressure.


They needed only six of them to get back on terms.


Jebrin beat two or three Runcorn players as he moved in menacingly on a solo run from the left to bury his shot from the centre of the penalty area.


Linnets slowly but surely got back into contention, regaining the lead in the 73rd minute.


Clair released Arsan on another break down the left, the wide man's early delivery catching out Vauxhall's defence.


Doyle, who had replaced Welsh at half-time, appeared to have miscontrolled the low cross but quickly recovered his composure to drive home.


Lewis Crane was eager to please, having replaced Brooke in attack, and after fastening onto the young striker's pass, Will Saxon looked to have been upended.


But penalty appeals were summarily dismissed by the referee.


Linnets club captain James Short, having been laid low by a virus, made his reappearance for the last four minutes.


Within seconds, the left back found himself in the opposition's 18-yard area to supply Doyle. But the midfield substitute was off target this time.


Despite always having to keep their wits about them, Runcorn held Vauxhall at bay in the closing moments.


Victory should boost confidence for two upcoming home league games before Chrstmas.


Strugglers Hanley Town, visitors this Saturday, will likewise have been buoyed by a midweek win over bottom-four rivals Witton Albion.


Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Sam Barratt, Naim Arsan, Karl Clair, Harvey Washington, Jack Grundy, Will Saxon (James Short, 86 mins), Jacques Welsh (Lewis Doyle, 46 mins), Ryan Brooke (Lewis Crane, 65 mins), Luke Wall (Lewis Nolan, 72 mins), Eden Gumbs. Sub (not used): Tom Myles (GK).


Attendance: 197.

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