First taste of midweek action as Vauxhall Motors visit

RUNCORN LINNETS v Vauxhall Motors

Tuesday, August 12th, kick off 7.45pm

Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division

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

History trail

Vauxhall Motors' impressive form saw them reach the Pitching In Northern Premier League Play-offs last season on the back of a fifth-placed finish.

They were beaten 3-1 in the semi-finals at runners-up Hednesford Town, an 88th-minute goal finally putting paid to their promotion hopes.

Linnets were unbeaten in three 2024-25 meetings with the Motormen. In the league we won 1-0 at vanEupen Arena in September, thanks to a penalty from on-loan Blackpool striker Taylor Bowen, after Ryan Brooke had sustained a serious collar bone injury which would sideline him until early December.

Jacques Welsh celebrates his last-gasp equaliser. Picture by PETER CANTWELL

The return clash on the second Saturday in February was manager Brad Cooke's first game in charge. It finished dramatically with skipper Jacques Welsh's last-gasp equaliser four minutes into added time.

Vauxhall had struck first in the 1-1 draw, Connor Rankin netting from the spot in the 74th. Rankin departed the club in the summer, joining Bootle.

Linnets defeated the Motormen 2-1 in the Cheshire Senior Cup second round at APEC Taxis Stadium, goals from Lewis Doyle and Karl Clair sandwiching one from Jawad Jebrin.

Team news

Vauxhall have, like ourselves, recruited well in the summer.

Their newcomers include Steven Irwin, who lifted the NPL West championship trophy as captain of Widnes. Irwin had been appointed interim manager after the subsequent exit of Michael Ellison but found himself looking for a new club upon the titlewinners' demise.

Irwin's early career featured spells in Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands and prior to joining Widnes he served FC United of Manchester, Marine, Skelmersdale United and Stalybridge Celtic.

Another experienced signing is left back Eddie Clarke, who was a promotion winner with Tranmere Rovers as they triumphed in the 2018 National League Play-off Final at Wembley to regain their EFL status.

Clarke promptly signed for Fleetwood Town, being loaned to Macclesfield Town and Stockport County. Since departing the Fylde coast, he has had spells at Warrington Town, Flint Town United and Bootle.

He arrives, along with centre forward Joe Malkin, from Bala Town. Attacking midfielder Conor Harwood joins from Bootle while 20-year-old 'keeper Reece Trueman has represented Liverpool u21s in Premier League 2.

Linnets' recently-signed defender Adam Rooney prepares to face previous club Vauxhall after scoring their Play-off semi-final goal on what proved to be his farewell appearance for the Motormen.

Midfielder Dec McLoughlin completes the three-match carried over from his time with FC United of Manchester last season.

Form guide

Vauxhall salvaged a point in their 1-1 NPL home draw against Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday, thanks to a late Adam Hughes goal.

Linnets have won their first two fixtures - in the FA Cup and NPL West - to nil.

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 bar 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