All square at the APEC after after floodlight drama

Sean Miller runs away in delight after his first-half equaliser. Picture BY PETER CANTWELL.

Runcorn Linnets 2 Vauxhall Motors 2

Report by Dave Bettley

A Cheshire derby to which both sides gave everything and got at least some reward proved the old adage that teams are most vulnerable when they have just scored.

It also showed how reliant on floodlights modern-day football is.

Having trailed for just one minute of the first half, Linnets must have thought they had snatched victory after taking the lead in the 86th minute.

But the potential winner was largely against the run of second-half play and Vauxhall dug deep to produce a merited equaliser three minutes into the seven added.

It was the second successive season that this fixture had seen a team thwarted in stoppage time.

In February's 1-1 draw, Vauxhall had been denied on Brad Cooke's debut as Linnets manager.

The game had been too close to call throughout.

Let there be light - Tuesday's game was left in peril by a floodlight issue which happily was resolved in the nick of time. Picture by NEIL THORNTON.

With neither side taking full spoils, it will be remembered as much as anything for a saga, which unfolded off the pitch as floodlight failure left everybody wondering if it would finish.

One of four pylons at APEC Taxis Stadium was found not to be working when the referee called for the lights to go on.

A routine half-time repair to a tripped-out circuit breaker solved the problem but created another - it knocked out the other pylon on the dugout side, leaving just the two banks of lights on the opposite touchline to illuminate the ground.

The half-light they provided was good enough for the contest to restart but it reached a point just before the hour mark where full power had to be restored as night closed in.

Lights on the stricken pylons had needed to cool down before being switched back on and it would have been back to square one had this been attempted too quickly.

With the game now under threat, there was relief all round as the switch was flicked - and the stricken pylons sparked back to life.

As club electrician, Trust Board member Ste Bignall had been the man under pressure.

He admitted: "I wasn’t actually confident that they'd had enough time to cool down, and told the ref if we try it now and only one column comes on, the whole cooling down period would have to start again.

"The referee and both managers requested we try it now, and, luckily, both came back on!"

Ste's valiant work saw the contest through to its natural conclusion, if not quite the one Linnets had wanted.

Under the full glare of the lights, Vauxhall enjoyed a purple patch, Bayleigh Passant making a miraculous reflex save to keep out a goalbound header.

Adam Rooney, playing against the club with which he had reached last season's promotion play-offs, likewise got a vital touch on a dangerous cross by the visitors' livewire left winger Xenon Bahula.

As Linnets countered, Luke Wall and Eden Gumbs both made an impact off the bench.

Wall cruised majestically into the Vauxhall area where a heavy final touch gave right back Vito Mbolokele just enough time to get across to clear.

With four minutes of normal time remaining, Runcorn hit the front.

Who done it? Scott Bakkor gets the goal but Ryan Brooke also takes credit for his assist. Picture by BEN JACKSON.

An interception by Joe Ferguson paved rhe way for Ryan Brooke to get in a shot, which was saved by Reece Trueman but not completely dealt with.

In the ensuing melee, Scott Bakkor pounced from close range, his second goal in as many games leaving the hosts on the brink of consecutive league wins to start the season.

But Vauxhall had other ideas. By now they had been bolstered by attacking substitutes Nathan Corness and Josh Quarless, both fleetingly associated with Linnets earlier in their careers.

Conceding a corner in the 93rd minute wasn't in the script for Runcorn - the Motormen had been a threat from set-pieces all night - and as the ball fell for him in the box, Adam Hughes salvaged a late point for the visitors.

Vauxhall's opener on the half hour - from Hughes's central defensive partner Toby Jones - had likewise stemmed from a corner.

It took Linnets only seconds to respond with Sean Miller lashing into the roof of the net for his first goal in the Yellow and Green.

Miller's effort on the rebound to an Adam Moseley shot from the right of the box was made possible by skipper Jacques Welsh's incisive through ball from the kick-off.

Linnets remain unbeaten after three games of the new campaign but this was their toughest test so far.

Five cautions showed just how difficult and manager Cooke was critical of the performance, particularly in defence.

Runcorn return to Emirates FA Cup duty on Saturday with a first-time visit to Midland League Premier Division outfit Whitchurch in the preliminary round.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Peter Wylie, Adam Rooney, Jacques Welsh, Adam Moseley (Eden Gumbs, 57 mins) Lewis Doyle (Ryan Brooke, 46 minutes), Scott Bakkor, Sean Miller, Naim Arsan (Luke Wall, 58 mins). Subs (not used): Markell Foulds, Harvey Washington.

Attendance: 653.

Brad Cooke compares notes with coach Lee Bignell ahead of kick-off. Picture by BEN JACKSON.