Linnets slip to defeat in home finale

All smiles from Linnets scorer Naim Arsan (right), Peter Wylie and team mates but two second-half goals in as many minutes turned the match in favour of the Bucks. Picture by Neil Thornton.

Runcorn Linnets 1 Bootle 3

Report by Dave Bettley

A season, which began with Linnets languishing in the relegation zone but then brought an unlikely chance of a play-off spot will see a finishing position between seventh and eleventh.

The league table has been tight throughout but final standings won't lie.

Patched-up Runcorn head into the weekend's final game - at second-placed Hednesford Town - in ninth spot and desperate to arrest a late slide after this third league defeat in four matches.

The Yellow & Greens have looked pretty much spent in the closing weeks of the league and they were unable to close another Pitching In Northern Premier League West home campaign in the manner they would have wanted on manager Brad Cooke's 40th birthday.

Three more goals were added to an already bulging 'against' column with Bootle, having finally secured their future in the division on Good Friday, running out comfortable winners.

Linnets had the better of things either side of half-time but lack of attacking spark saw them fail to trouble Bootle's 'keeper Tony Thompson in open play all afternoon.

Their lone legal shot on target was the one with which Naim Arsan scored direct from a free-kick just before the half hour to quickly cancel out Ben Hodkinson's 25th-minute opener.

Linnets did have the ball in the net for a second time early in the second half but Jacques Welsh's effort was disallowed for handball.

The visitors then stunned Runcorn by scoring twice in as many minutes around three-quarter time.

Looking weary mentally and physically, the hosts never looked like redressing the balance.

Left: Luke Wall is closed down as he takes the game to Bootle. Top right: Jacques Welsh fires home but it's no goal. Bottom right: Naim Arsan and Ryan Brooke go for the same ball, getting in each other's way. Pictures by Peter Cantwell.

Arsan's explosive free-kick apart, the highpoint of the afternoon for fans was the unexpected return from injury of Karl Clair.

The tenacious midfieldman's has been missed in the eight weeks which have passed since he sustained knee ligament damage.

It was surprising to see Clair coming off the bench, as his season had looked to be over.

But his determination to get fit could yet be rewarded with involvement in the Cheshire Senior Cup final early next month.

Bootle made the brighter start in Bank Holiday Monday's derby at APEC Taxis Stadium.

Hodkinson caused all kinds of difficulty with well-timed runs in behind.

One such foray saw the Bucks open the scoring and either side of his goal, the wideman could have had a couple more.

Runcorn got back in the game on the half hour when they were awarded a 29th-minute free-kick for a foul on skipper Jacques Welsh.

Former Wales C international Arsan lashed it home left-footed, low and hard.

The strike from 25 yards, wide left of the penalty area, beat Thompson at his near post.

Above: Mssrs Ferguson, Wall, Welsh and Brooke are in the firing line but the defensive wall does its job, allowing Bayleigh Passant behind them to save. Top left: Naim Arsan silences Bootle fans to his right with his equaliser but not for long. Top right: Agony for Jacques Welsh whose early second-half 'goal' is ruled out. Pictures by Bobby Hancox.

The rest of the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second saw Runcorn asking the questions without coming up with the answers in terms of creating chances.

Having on the hour refreshed their attack with the substitution of Kyle Campbell for midfielder Tom Owens - one of five ex-Linnets in the visitors' matchday squad - the visitors reestablished their lead.

Michael Simpson, the most celebrated of the Runcorn old boys, powered in a low shot in the 65th minute from a ball played across the area from the left.

Harvey Washington got the final touch and was initially credited with an own goal.

But with right back Simpson's shot having been on target, the goal was rightly (and no doubt to Washington''s relief) later handed to one of Runcorn's 2017-18 North West Counties title winners.

Whether the shot would have got past Bayleigh Passant without the deflection is another matter.

Linnets had no time to regroup before they were stung again.

Centre forward Courtney Duffus exploited a three against two Bootle break by laying off to Hodkinson before accepting the return pass with a sublime first-time finish high to Passant's right.

It was only the 67th minute but effectively game over.

It's a packed penalty area as Peter Wylie, Ryan Brooke and Jacques Welsh put Bootle's defence under pressure but there's no joy for Linnets again. Picture by Neil Thornton.

Linnets will muster one last league effort for Saturday's trip to Hednesford, who start the final day as second favourites to Widnes for the title.

Salvation for Runcorn failing to make the play-offs for the first time in four seasons will have to come from the county cup.

But, whatever happens in the Cheshire final against Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday, May 6th, it promises to be an interesting summer as Cooke looks to put his own stamp on the Linnets squad for 2025-26.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Peter Wylie, Jay Lee (Lewis Crane, 74 mins), Lewis Doyle (Karl Clair, 79 mins), Joe Ferguson, Harvey Washington, Luke Wall, Jacques Welsh, Ryan Brooke, Adam Moseley, Naim Arsan. Subs (not used): Callum Grogan, Jorge Dwyer, Reece Daly.

Attendance: 548.

Top right: Peter Wylie goes for goal but the whistle has already blown for an infringement. Above left: Lewis Crane shields the ball from a Bootle challenge. Above right: Manager Brad Cooke commiserates with striker Ryan Brooke after the final whistle. Pictures by Ben Jackson.