Bazley's brace steers Linnets through in Adobe Women's FA Cup

Runcorn Linnets Ladies 5

Pilkington Women 4

Jess Bazley slots home the first of her two goals. Picture by Neil Thornton.

Report by Dave Bettley

Linnets Ladies eventually made iit through to the Second Round Qualifying of the Adobe Women's FA Cup.

But the team lying second in Division One South of the North West Regional Women's League had to withstand a double fightback by their neighbours from DIvision One Central.

Runcorn had looked home and dry, if that was possible in heavy rain, when they scored three early second-half goals for a 4-1 lead.

But they reckoned without the spirit of newly-promoted Pilkington, who pulled the score back to 4-3 and netted again after conceding for the fifth time.

Linnets had created more than enough openings to take a significant lead into the interval.

But the teams were level at the break.

Georgina Oxley goes for goal. Picture by Neil Thornton.

Linnets saw a succession of crosses from former Pilks player Georgina Oxley from the right evade fellow frontrunners Lile Ashley and Molly Hewitt.

There was a certain irony when the visitors from St Helens showed the way to goal, albeit their own.

A Pilkington defender found the roof of the net at the wrong end in her haste to clear the danger from Jess Bazley.

Pilks have had a difficult start to their campaign after moving up from the Liverpol County FA League but they grew into the tie, equalising with a well-struck effort from long range.

Linnets began the second half as if they meant business.

Bazley used all her experience and knowhow to twice escape the Pilkington defence as the visitors employed a high line.

She timed her run perfectly first time around and was played onside by a. Pilks touch for her quick follow-up second. Both one-on-one finishes were exquisite.

Hewitt put Runcorn in apparent control with an effort of complete contrast to the couple before it.

The left-sided attacker popped up on the right touchline to launch the ball spectacularly towards goal, out of the reach of the Pilks 'keeper Ciara Murphy.

Perhaps thinking the job was done, Runcorn allowed the away side back into it at 4-3 before Chelsea Gillies followed the lead of her central midfield colleague Bazley.

With a similar lung-busting break from deep, Gillies gave Linnets a bigger cushion but Pilks refused to give in and scored again to reduce their deficit to a single goal.

After scoring a well-taken hat-trick, visiting striker Laura Butters will consider herself unfortunate to have finished on the losing side.

But it's Runcorn who progress with Bazley only being denied a treble of her own by a dubious offside decision and her unselfishness as in a good position to strike herself, she attempted to find Hewitt.

That the ball evaded her was in some ways typical of Linnets Ladies' attacking efforts, despite the fact they scored a handful.

In so doing, they banked £1,800 in competition prizemoney.

The next round is on Sunday, September 21st.

Runcorn Linnets Ladies: 1 Alex Bellfield, 2 Beth Graham, 7 Saffron Tilston, 8 Jess Bazley, 9 Lile Ashley, 10 Molly Hewitt, 11 Eva Whimperley, 14 Aisling Hart, 15 Erin Roberts, 21 Georgina Oxley, 23 Chelsea Gillies. Subs: 3 Beth Middleton, 4 Callie Clarke, 5 Gabby Evans, 6 Emma Mclarney, 16 Caitlin Gibbons, 19 Molllie Bennett, 20 Lily McCabe.

Attendance: 101.

Linnets' fourth goal scorer Molly Hewitt is unsuccessful this time. Picture by Neil Thornton.