Home comfort as Linnets stay unbeaten at the APEC

Runcorn Linnets 3 Kidsgrove Athletic 0

All smiles after Lewis Doyle had doubled the Linnets lead in Tuesday's 3-0 win.

Report by Dave Bettley with pictures from Ben Jackson.

LINNETS made the most of a brief return to league action in a Pitching In Northern Premier League West fixture sandwiched between a run of important cup games.

Two strikes in three first-half minutes gave the hosts the springboard for a convincing victory over Kidsgrove.

Man of the match Harvey Washington's maiden Runcorn goal - a header from a free-kick - was swiftly followed on the half hour by an instinctive right-foot finish inside the left post by in-form Lewis Doyle.

Unfortunately by half-time, Doyle and midfield colleague Markell Foulds were heading into the treatment room - through the revolving door by which Jacques Welsh and Adam Rooney had just returned.

Brad Cooke must be wondering when his recent bad luck with injuries will change.

But fortunately, Runcorn had reinforcements on a strong bench.

Early in the second half, substitute Dec McLoughlin hit a post before his 71st-minute free-kick rebounded off Kidsgrove's 'keeper Tommy Gilbert for leading scorer Scott Bakkor to lash home his 10th of the season.

Runcorn's defence did what they had to in keeping another clean aheet.

Lively winger Logan Cousins carried the only real threat for the visitors, who had come into the game in sixth place with Linnets in eighth.

On-loan Blackpool 'keeper Harvey Bardsley didn't have a shot to save until the 87th minute of his Runcorn home debut.

Even then, veteran Matt Rhead's effort was straight at the 19-year-old 'keeper.

Kidsgrove had been beaten on all five previous visits to Murdishaw with just one goal to show for their efforts.

This latest APEC Taxis Stadium appearance was just as miserable - a fruitless evening for the Staffordshire outfit becoming even worse in the last minute.

Substitute Oliver Jepson was sent off for kicking out at Linnets centre half Rooney off the ball in the penalty area.

The referee had earlier been slow to clamp down on some heavy Kidsgrove challenges.

Linnets are up to fourth in the table with this result but league commitments will again take a back seat in the next 10 days.

Runcorn, now unbeaten in their first five home games, face big tests in major FA competitions on successive weekends.

Bury are confirmed as visitors in Saturday's Adobe FA Trophy Second Round Qualifying after hitting a stoppage-time winner in their replayed tie at Wythenshawe Town.

Seven days later, Linnets will resume duties in the Emirates FA Cup with NPL Premier Division side Ashton United their opponents in a Third Round Qualifying tie at the APEC.

Runcorn Linnets: Harvey Bardsley, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Markell Foulds (Dec McLoughlin, 23 mins), Adam Rooney, Harvey Washington, Lewis Doyle (Eden Gumbs, 46 mins), Jacques Welsh (Peter Wylie, 82 mins), Scott Bakkor, Ryan Brooke (Marcus Cusani, 82 mins), Naim Arsan (Oskar Rosenblatt, 86 mins).

Attendance: 529.

Scott Bakkor savours the moment as he reaches double figures for the season.