Follow the Lower Breck Road - we're on our way to top-of-the-table clash in Anfield
- Feb 5
- 4 min read
Lower Breck v Runcorn Linnets
Pitching In Northern Premier League West
Saturday, February 7th (ko 3pm)
Anfield Community Sports Centre, Breckside Park, Lower Breck Road, Liverpool, L6 0AG
Preview
Our maiden league visit to Anfield Sports Community Centre brings another intriguing match between the division's top two sides.
For the second time this month, we face Lower Breck - a club, which has from humble beginnings quickly made its mark on Merseyside's non-league scene.
Linnets boss Michael Ellison has seen his new team reach the summit after winning four from six in NPL West and drawing the other two.
Although delighted with the three points and a first clean sheet in Tuesday's last-gasp 1-0 victory over Chasetown, the manager knows that a better performance will be required to again beat the side they have just overtaken.
Ello also played down the significance of taking Linnets to the summit for the first time in seven years, stressing that the league is too close to call.
The maiden NPL meeting of the clubs saw Linnets win 4-2 after coming from 2-1 down at half-time.
Lower Breck are enjoying their first season at Step 4 after a meteoric rise.
In a remarkable 15 years, they have risen from Youth football in the south of their city.
This will be our second visit to the Anfield club, the first last season bringing a 3-1 loss in the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-finals.
History trail
Lower Breck Football Club was founded in the summer of 2010 as a youth side in the Tuebrook area of Liverpool.
The team won the South Liverpool Youth Division in its first season together and in the next, the Carlsberg West Cheshire League Youth championship was secured - the West Cheshire Youth Plate and The LCFA County Cup completing a glorious treble.
For the 2012/13, they merged with Famous Grapes Football Club for a crack at open-age football, again with immediate title success in the Liverpool County Premier League’s 2nd Division.
The Breck Boys also returned from a trip to Cologne, Germany as 2013 Rheintal Trophy winners.
Ahead of 2013/14 season, they reverted to the Lower Breck name for a crack at the LCPL's 1st Division, duly clinching the final promotion place to the Premier Division.
By the start of the 2015/16, a reserve, Sunday and two youth sides had been added to the ambitious club's stable.
The following season, Breck secured a double by landing the I-Zingari & George Mahon Cups.
These trophies were successfully defended in 2017/18 in a Grand Slam of honours, completed by the LCPL Premier title and Liverpool County FA Cup.
The following season saw Lower Breck embark on their non-league journey in the North West Counties League, beginning to invest in their facility to meet ground grading requirements at Step 6.
After missing out on promotion from the North Division during the Covid period on points per game, they went up to the Premier Division for season 2020/21 before gaining another promotion as 2024-25 Play-off winners.
Breck had been pipped to the title by Bury on the final day of the season, despite a 106-point haul.
Lower Breck have developed their home venue into a hub for non-league football at a cost of more than £250k.
Form guide
Lower Breck's home record isn't as impressive as their away form but they have lost only twice in the league on their own pitch while picking up six wins and two draws.
They have good scoring options with three players in double figures for the campaign.
No.10 Sam Burns has 16 goals this season from 31 games (plus seven assists) with Runcornian centre forward Lewis Buckley - a Linnets second stringer in his youth - netting 15 in 28 while setting up four.
Alex Cherera is a big danger out wide, the former Bury right winger having supplied 13 goals with six assists from 31 outings so far in the campaign.
Cherera played a handful of games on loan for Widnes under Michael Ellison at the back end of last seasom's title run.
Linnets have won both away games in 2026 - at Vauxhall Motors and Chasetown - and are unbeaten in three league aways since back-to-back NPL defeats at Stalybridge Celtic and Sporting Khalsa in November/December.
Player watch
Joe Ferguson's next Runcorn appearance will be his 50th. The flying full back has played in 34 games this season with 33 starts. His 49 Linnets career outings have brought three goals - including the 2024-25 Goal of the Season. He scored twice in November's 4-1 home victory over Darlaston Town.
Joe will celebrate the first anniversary of his Linnets debut (against 1874 Northwich in the Cheshire Senior Cup) next Wednesday (February 11th).
How to get there
By car - Exit the M62 at The Rocket (J4), turn right onto Queens Drive. Turn left opposite Jolly Miller pub, filtering to the left at traffic lights on to West Derby Road. Take first exit at roundabout, continuing on West Derby Road. Turn right at traffic lights onto Lower Breck Road. Ground is on the right.
There is a large car park with 650 spaces on site.
By train - Liverpool Lime Street is 2.1 miles from ground.
By bus - From Queen Square bus station, Liverpool city centre - 14 and 14a services stop at Abbey Road, which is 810 metres from the ground; 12, 13, 15 and 18 services stop at Grange Street, 790m from ground.
Admission
Adult £8
Concessions £6
Under 16s £4
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