Play-off odds lengthen for Linnets after even contest at Kidsgrove

Kidsgrove Athletic 1 Runcorn Linnets 1

Naim Arsan is mobbed from all sides after equalising with Adam Moseley and Joe Ferguson leading the congratulations.

Report by Dave Bettley with pictures from Peter Cantwell.

A point apiece from a game, which was more breathless than breathtaking, suited neither team.

For different reasons both had badly needed to win.

Kidsgrove, trying to escape the bottom four in Pitching In Northern Premier League West, gave as good as they got as Linnets lost vital ground in their quest for a play-off spot, despite stretching their unbeaten run to 10 games.

Either side could have won a frenetic contest late on.

Grove co-manager and former Port Vale legend Tom Pope, 39, saw his penalty saved by Bayleigh Passant.

Lewis Nolan goes for goal but his effort was deemed not to have crossed the line.

Linnets were then promptly claiming a likely winner when Lewis Nolan, making his first league start of the year, turned on the rebound to a Ryan Brooke shot.

Runcorn believed the midfielder's effort had crossed the line.

Referee Adewunmi Soneye sought help from the touchline but his assistant was behind the play and unable to confirm. The benefit of the doubt went to the defending side.

It's the Colours of the Autonet rather than tne APEC this time with flags in place to welcome our fans to Staffordshire.

The game was played against a backdrop of good-natured noise generated by fans of both teams.

The partisan nature of their support was poignantly interrupted in the fifth minute.

All inside the Autonet Stadium joined applause in memory of the baby son of Kidsgrove supporter Matthew Holmes.

Bobby died at 33 days old after a very premature birth. He would have been five years old on the day of this match.

Ryan Brooke finds time to get in a shot in the midst of a frenetic game.

Missing the unavailable Luke Wall and Jorge Dwyer in midfield, Runcorn made a ponderous start.

Seventeen-year-old newcomer Jeval Thompson, on loan from Shrewsbury Town, provided much of the early Kidsgrove threat.

However, a niggling muscle injury sustained inside the first quarter caused his spark to be lost, the right winger eventually being replaced.

After a couple of near misses, the hosts had taken the lead on the half-hour mark.

A cross from the right was returned from the opposite flank for midfielder Jimmy Garlick to put the Staffordshire strugglers ahead.

Runcorn replied within four minutes. A rasping shot by right back Joe Ferguson, who had been picked out by Adam Moseley, was saved by Kieran Harrison.

A chance on the rebound was missed but the reprieve was very brief for Grove.

Adam Moseley played a part in Runcorn levelling the scores.

Lewis Doyle fed the ball back into the box from the left for Naim Arsan to pounce for his seventh strike of the season.

There was almost an eighth, the Welshman powering a surprise 25-yard shot against the crossbar as Runcorn enjoyed their best spell of the half.

After the restart, Linnets took up where they had left off with further pressure. It was this time unproductive.

The fast-paced game lacked nothing in endeavour or excitement yet composure and purpose were at a premium.

Too much was probably at stake for both teams.

But it needed a flying fingertip save by Bayleigh Passant to keep out a stinging shot by Garlick in the 62nd minute.

Baleigh Passant keeps out the penalty from Tom Pope.

Passant did well to save Pope's unconvincing penalty, awarded for a challenge by Callum Grogan close to the deadball line on the right.

The spot-kick was struck down the middle, blocked by the legs of the Runcorn 'keeper.

Grove's No.1 Harrison also had to pull out the stops.

He thwarted the again lively Moseley, who had been set up for a shot from the left of the area by an enterprising run from Lewis Doyle.

But Harrison's best save was reserved for the dying moments as he flew to his right to turn away a Brooke free-kick, which had been destined for the top corner.

On balance, nobody could argue at the result.

With scores elsewhere going against them, Linnets are in eighth place and effectively eight points off the top-five play-off places in light of goal difference.

All promotion contenders have seven games to play and while qualification is looking a bit more difficult, Runcorn will continue to give it everything.

Two places and a couple of points better off than Brad Cooke's side, Stalybridge Celtic will visit APEC Taxis Stadium next Saturday.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Peter Wylie, Eden Gumbs (Jay Lee, 88 mins), Lewis Nolan (Lewis Crane, 77 mins), Joe Ferguson, Callum Grogan, Adam Moseley, Jacques Welsh, Ryan Brooke, Lewis Doyle, Naim Arsan.Subs (not used): Harvey Washington, Alex Ellams (GK), Przemek Staniszewski.

Attendance: 377.

Eden Gumbs, Naim Arsan and Jay Lee, who made his NPL debut as a late substitute, thank travelling fans for their backing at the final whistle.