Brooke and Bakkor crown Linnets comeback
- dbettley
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Runcorn Linnets 2 Trafford 1

A scintillating second-half fightback helped unbeaten Runcorn Linnets to secure their first home victory of the Pitching In Northern Premier League West season at the second attempt.
Linnets could have been three or four goals to the good in the opening 15 minutes yet allowed their performance to tail off in the remainder of the first half.
A price was paid as Trafford scored a minute before half-time but Brad Cooke's side showed a renewed intensity upon the restart to ultimately gain the upper hand.
Man of the match and record club goal scorer Ryan Brooke pulled them level in the 57th minute with his first strike of the campaign.

The onslaught from the hosts, without five key players, paid full dividends with six minutes of normal time remaining as Scott Bakkor maintained his early scoring form for Linnets with a thrilling winner.
Trafford had defended stoically but a rare mistake was their undoing as Bakkor seized on an under-hit backpass to round impressive 'keeper Sam Booth before slotting home.
An enthusiastic Friday evening crowd of 637 enjoyed a game in which Trafford played their part. The away side, however, created only a fraction of the chances carved out by Runcorn.
The Manchester visitors might have spoiled the party with the very last kick of the game but Bayleigh Passant was safely behind a snapshot by Cian Donohue.
Runcorn climbed to second in the table ahead of Saturday's programme with seven points from nine, leaving Trafford to reflect on a third straight defeat. All have been by an odd goal in three.
A mix-up by the away side in arriving with an all yellow strip had seen Linnets play in their change kit.
The vertical black and white stripes only emphasised the extra height in the Runcorn ranks this season with Marcus Cusani being the latest addition over six foot.

Newly signed from Lancaster City, he came into right midfield for his second Linnets debut - nine years after his first - and demonstrated what an accomplished performer he has become since his shortlived initial stay.
Cusani almost made a dream start as he linked up with Dec McLoughlin, for whom this was a first competitive Runcorn start, to deliver a cross which Naim Arsan scuffed.
It was typical of Runcorn's fortunes in front of goal in the first quarter of an hour when they did everything but score.
Bakkor, with more time than he perhaps thought, attempted a chip which was within reach of a stretching Booth.

Marauding full back Joe Ferguson was foiled by a timely tackle by Trafford defender Sean Higgins while Lewis Doyle passed up another opportunity by firing wide after Cusani and Bakkor had combined on the right to give the midfielder a good sight of goal.
Survival gave Trafford the confidence to work their way into the contest, putting Runcorn's defence, in which Harvey Washington was outstanding, on higher alert with their movement but without testing Passant before beating him in the 44th minute.
A right-wing corner kick at the Clubhouse End was headed into the middle at the far post, the deftest of touches by centre forward Matt Davies trickling into the goal.
Runcorn's start to the second half was similar to the first with Cusani shooting straight at the Trafford 'keeper and a couple of minutes later agonisingly wide.
The difference was Linnets didn't allow the pressure to drop. Three minutes from the hour mark, forceful play by Doyle, approaching the Trafford penalty area, saw him pick out Brooke on the right of the box for the experienced front man to drive the ball hard and true into the bottom left corner.
The goal came shortly after an entertaining contest had turned fractious as Arsan was taken out off the ball by his opposite number Kieron Molloy, who was fortunate to see a yellow card. It could easily have been red.

Similarly, Doyle might have picked up second caution after reacting to being chased down and cynically fouled by Trafford sub Brad Byrne, who was the only player booked in the incident.
Doyle and Bakkor had been cautioned for all-late challenges before the interval. There were four bookings in all for Trafford players.
As Runcorn continued to lay seige, an inspired Booth denied Bakkor, Ferguson and Brooke in turn before finally being beaten for a second time.
Bakkor's decider was a sixth goal from his first five Runcorn appearances and leaves Cooke's men in good spirits ahead of Bank Holiday Monday's trip to Witton Albion.
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Lewis Doyle, Adam Rooney, Harvey Washington, Marcus Cusani (Markell Foulds, 90+3 mins), Declan McLoughlin, Scott Bakkor, Ryan Brooke (Jorge Dwyer, 88 mins), Naim Arsan (Eden Gumbs 72 mins). Subs (not used): Sam Stephens, Lewis Crane.
Attendance: 639.

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