FA Trophy action takes centre stage against first-time visitors

RUNCORN LINNETS v Garforth Town, Isuzu FA Trophy 1st Round Qualifying

Saturday, September 6th 2025, ko 3pm

APEC Taxis Stadium, Stockham Lane, Runcorn, WA7 6GJ.

History trail

This is West Yorkshire club Garforth Town's eighth season in the FA Trophy.

They have reached the 1st Round Qualifying five times previously but have yet to go beyond this stage.

Last season, they went out 1-0 to Wythenshawe Town at home.

Their record win in the competition was set in 2010-11 as 5-0 victors at Leigh Genesis. The biggest margin of defeat was by three unanswered goals at home to AFC Fylde in 2009-10.

Garforth secured a first ever meeting with Runcorn Linnets as 3-0 home winners over fellow Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division side Ashington in the preliminary round.

This is their second season back at Step 4 after 11 in the Northern Counties East League's Premier Division.

Garforth Town first appeared on the scene in 1985 after a name change from Garforth Miners, who had been founder members of NCEL in 1982-83, having joined the Yorkshire League four years earlier.

The club's foundations had been laid in 1964 on formation as Miners Arms. They initially played Sunday football while based in nearby Swillington.

A switch to Saturday football in the West Yorkshire League coincided with a move to Garforth, where a former council tip was transformed into a new home ground.

An application to join the Yorkshire League had necessitated the change to Garforth Miners as pub teams were not permitted in the competition.

In a nod to the past, Garforth Town are nicknamed The Miners.

They were FA Vase quarter-finalists in 1986-87, losing 2-1 at Collier Row.

Claim to fame

Garforth's Bannister Prentice Stadium is also home to Leeds United Women, who play in the fourth-tier Women's National League Division One.

But the club in the metropolitan borough of Leeds is best known for its connection to a legendary Brazilian international footballer

In 2004, more than a decade after retiring, and at the age of 50, former South American Player of the Year Socrates agreed a one-month player-coach deal with Garforth.

Our FA Trophy record

This is Runcorn Linnets' eighth shot at the FA Trophy, our best performance to date having come in 2022-23.

Some of the Linnets fans who journeyed to Spennymoor.

We reached the 2nd Round, losing 3-2 at Spennymoor Town of National League North. Our goalscorers were Ryan Brooke and Jamie Rainford.

Ryan Brooke enjoys his early equaliser against the Step 2 hosts.

Linnets had made it to the first round in 2020-21, being beaten 3-2 on penalties by visiting Morpeth Town after a 2-2 draw.

Runcorn exited last season's competition at the first attempt, losing 2-1 at home to Pomtefract Collierites in the First Round Qualifying.

Our opponents

Garforth finished ninth in the 22-team East Division last season after winning promotion through the NCEL Premier Division play-offs in 2023-24.

Their sixth other NPL seasons, between 2007 and 20013, saw them compete in Division One North with a highest finish of fifth in 2011-12.

Top appearance makers for Garforth last season were goalkeeper Harry Flatters and Charlie Marshall with 47 apiece, Marshall also being their leading goalscorer with nine.

Charlie is the son of veteran boss Paul Marshall, who in 2022 reached the landmark of 1,000 games in management.

He had previously been in charge of Harrogate Town, Harrogate Railway, Goole, Tadcaster and Pickering.

Defender Owen Marshall is Charlie's cousin and Paul's nephew.

It's a fact

Runcorn Linnets made our FA Trophy debut on Saturday, September 29th 2018. We were beaten 4-2 at Atherton Collieries.

Connor McCarthy was Linnets' goal scorer in our inaugural FA Trophy win six years ago. File photograph by TOM PAUL.

Our first victory in the competition was on Saturday, September 28th of the following year, when we accounted for visiting Marine 1-0 with Connor McCarthy scoring the goal.

Bayleigh Passant and Peter Wylie from our present-day team played in the match.

The full Linnets line-up was: Bayleigh Passant, Louis Corrigan, Peter Wylie, Declan McGivern, Ally Brown, Ryan Gibson, Zack Aley, Kyle Hamid, Connor McCarthy, Kurt Sherlock, Jamie Rainford. Subs: Ryan Wade, Josh Dobie. (Not used: Jordan Wynne, Jimmy Moore, Richie Mottram and Harry Cannon-Noren).

Form guide

After losing 3-2 at home to West Auckland Town in the Extra Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup, Garforth drew their first four games in NPL East - against Hallam (1-1) and Grimsby Borough (0-0), both at home, and away to Matlock Town (3-3) and Emley (1-1).

They were then beaten 2-0 at home by Blyth Spartans on Saturday but were boosted by Tuesday's first win of the league season as they accounted for visiting Bishop Auckland 4-2.

Victory left Garforth in 10th spot on seven points from six games.

Linnets' 2-0 FA Cup victory at West Didsbury & Chorlton last Saturday made it seven unbeaten games in 2025-26. We lie fifth in the table on eight points from two wins and two draws with up to three matches in hand on clubs in the top four.

If it's a draw...

Should scores be level at 90 minutes, the tie will be settled on penalties without extra- time.

How to get here

By car - postcode for APEC Taxis Stadium is WA7 6GJ.

By train - Runcorn is served by two railway stations, Runcorn (Liverpool Lime Street to London line, also with services from Chester and Birmingham)  and Runcorn East (trains to and from Manchester, Chester and North Wales). Both stations are served by buses running close to the stadium, although Runcorn High Street bus station (10-minute walk) offers a wider choice for passengers using Runcorn Railway Station.

By bus - the ground is a short walk from the Runcorn Busway - alight at Orniston Bollingbroke Academy (Halton High School) and follow pathway on the opposite side of the busway from the school to Murdishaw Avenue and cross into Stockham Lane. Many local services (including Shopping City circular) run on the busway as well as those from Widnes, Warrington, Liverpool and Chester.

A local taxi service is provided by APEC Taxis (tel 01928 575757).

Parking

There is a large free car park on site.

Bar and catering

The licensed clubhouse bar offers a range of alcoholic and non-alcholic drinks while hot food, tea, coffee and soft drinks and confectionery are on sale from the tea bar.

Admission

Adult - £11

(£2 discount for Halton Leisure Card holders)

Concession (Over 65s) - £8

Juniors (18 and under) - £2