Home, sweet home for Linnets ahead of busy December at APEC Taxis Stadium
- dbettley
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
RUNCORN LINNETS v Newcastle Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division
Saturday, November 29th (ko 3pm)
APEC Taxis Stadium, Stockham Lane, Murdishaw, Runcorn, WA7 6GJ
MATCH PREVIEW
Runcorn Linnets return home to play only our second game at APEC Taxis Stadium in a month - ending a sequence of five aways, which have brought seven league points from a possible 12 and a first victory in our defence of the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Newcastle are another club, who were opponents for Runcorn before our NPL days with the clubs encountering each other in the North West Counties League's top flight for three seasons, starting in 2007-08.
Saturday's visitors had the Indian sign over us, winning all six league meetings before securing a place in Northern Premier League South as 2009-10 NWCL Premier Division champions with a remarkable 114 points from 42 matches.
They had won 37, losing just twice whils racking up a goal difference of +100 with 121 scored.
Head to head
Since joining Newcastle at Step 4 for 2018-19, we have been rivals for five seasons out of seven - the exceptions being the abridged Covid campaigns, which the Staffordshire club spent in NPL's South East Division.
Linnets have entertained Saturday's visitors eight times in all with mixed results - three wins, four defeats and a draw.
Saturday's visitors have taken four points from their last two visits to Murdishaw.
Results of previous home games against Newcastle Town:
North West Counties League
2007-08
Runcorn Linnets 2 Newcastlle Town 4 (at Wincham Park)
Attendance: 205
2008-09
Runcorn Linnets 0, Newcastle Town 4
(at Wincham Park)
Attendance: 110
2009-10
Runcorn Linnets 2 Newcastle Town 3
(at Wincham Park)
Attendance: 152.
Northern Premier League
2018-19
Runcorn Linnets 1
Louis Corrigan (59)
Newcastle Town 1
(Scorer not known)
Attendance: 324
2021-22
Runcorn Linnets 2
Ryan Brooke (14, 22)
Newcastle Town 0
Attendance: 535
2022-23
Runcorn Linnets 3
Lewis Doyle (45)
Ryan Brooke (50)
Oliver McFadyen (83)
Newcastle Town 1
Nathan Morley (44)
Attendance: 629
2023-24
Runcorn Linnets 1
Sean O'Mahony (14)
Newcastle Town 1
Jack Van Der Laan (45 pen)
Attendance: 569
2024-25
Runcorn Linnets 1
Lewis Doyle (18)
Newcastle Town 2
Thomas Jones (23, 82)
Attendance: 484
Form guide
Linnets have played only six NPL matches at home, compared to ten aways - with four wins, one draw and a single defeat.
We have scored 16 West Division goals at the APEC while conceding seven - scoring at least twice in all but one of these matches, the 2-1 loss to Shifnal Town in mid-October.
Wlith four home fixtures to follow in December, it is time to push on as we seek a return to the play-off positions with a view to putting pressure on leaders Lower Breck, who were will entertain a week on Tuesday (December 9th).
We are seventh in the league table with 29 points from 16 outings and joint second in the form standings.
Only Avro have a better return than the 13 points we've taken from the last six league games.
Newcastle won impressively at APEC Taxis Stadium last season. The fact that they are yet to register an away victory in the league this time around is an obvious danger sign for Linnets.
Our visitors will be desperate to get a win on the board after going down 3-0 at Stalybridge Celtic last time on the road at the start of the month.
They have lost six out of eight so far on their NPL travels, forcing two goalless draws and were defeated on their only trips in the FA Cup and FA Trophy - to Sutton Coldfield Town and Belper Town, respectively.
Newcastle have fared much better at home, picking up five victories while giving Lower Breck an almighty scare last Saturday in a 3-3 draw at the Red Industries Stadium.
They are 17th in the league standings on 19 points and 13th in the form table with eight points from their last six games.
Get well soon
A notable absentee this weekend will be Newcastle Town manager Neil Baker, who is recovering from a heart attack. Neil is very popular and well respected on the circuit and everyone at APEC Taxis Stadium send him our very best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
Neil's absence is being covered by his assistant Paul Wright.
Appearance stats
Jacques Welsh reached 150 Linnets starts in Tuesday's 3-2 Cheshire Senior Cup second-round win at Winsford United, picking up assists for our first two goals.
Since our last home appearance, Peter Wylie has completed 200 starts for Runcorn, reaching the landmark at Stalybridge last Saturday.
Congratulations to Jacques and Peter - hopefully there will be many more to come from our club captain and deputy.
Matty Rain (above) and Naim Arsan head our 2025-26 appearance charts, both having featured in all but one of our 27 matches so far. How fast the season is flying by!
Goals landmark
Our second goal in Tuesday's 3-2 Cheshire Senior Cup victory at Winsford was not only a first in Linnets colours for Marcus Cusani but also our 50th of the season in all competitions.
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)Â 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
