Linnets bid to clip Avro's wings
- dbettley
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Avro v RUNCORN LINNETS
Wednesday, October 29th 2025
The Vestacare Stadium, White Bank Road
Oldham, Greater Manchester, 0L8 3JH.
This will be our third league visit to the Vestacare Stadium to meet Avro, although we had previously played at the same venue against Oldham Town in our inaugural season (2006-07).
It will be our fourth away meeting overall with the 'Ro, our first being a drawn FA Cup tie in August 2021.
Four players who featured for us that say are still at Linnets - Jacques Welsh, Eden Gumbs, Ryan Brooke and James Short. The latter hasn't featured this season due to a long-term injury.
We went on to win the replay 4-1 but needed extra-time to progress against the then Step 5 side, who were promoted to NPL West the following season as North West Counties League Premier Division runners-up.
Our two league trips to Avro have brought a win apiece with our victory coming in 2023-24, courtesy of a last-gasp Will Saxon goal.
Details of previous visits
Saturday, August 21st 2021
Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Avro 1
Liam Ellis (50)
Runcorn Linnets 1
Lewis Lacy (12og)
Runcorn Linnets: Joe Young, Jacques Welsh, James Short, Louis Hayes, Alex Downes, Sean O'Mahony, MJ Monaghan (Eden Gumbs, 59 mins), Joe Lynch, Ryan Brooke, Iwan Murray, Oladapo Olarewaju (Stuart Crilly, 73 mins). Subs (not used): Sam Harding, Ally Brown, Carl Spellman, Jordan Monthe.
Saturday, December 9th 2023
Northern Premier League - West Division
Attendance: 307
Avro 1
Jake Cottrell (38)
Runcorn Linnets 2
Ollie Molloy, above, (30)
Will Saxon, below (90)
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Sam Barratt, James Short, Antony Kay, Peter Wylie, Sean O'Mahony, Will Saxon (Alex Jones, 90 mins), Jacques Welsh, Ollie Molloy, Joe Lynch, James Hooper. Subs (not used): Josh Roberts (GK), Mwiya Malumo.
Wednesday September 11th 2024
Northern Premier League - West Division
Attendance: 190
Avro 3
Kyle Hawley (11)
Jake Cottrell (38)
Liam Ellis (56)
Runcorn Linnets 1
Ryan Brooke (62)
Runcorn Linnets: Tom Myles, Peter Wylie, Eden Gunbs, Karl Clair, Harvey Washington, Sam Carr, Adam Moseley (Jacques Welsh, 46 mins), Lewis Nolan (Taylor Bowen, 46 mins), Ryan Brooke, Jaden Jones, Luke Wall. Subs (not used): Bayleigh Passant (GK), Sam Barratt.
Form guide
Avro have finished eighth and seventh in their two seasons at Step 4 and their early-season run suggests they are more than capable of improving on those solid performances this time around.
Ahead of midweek fixtures, they are in second spot, five points behind Lower Breck, with 25 points from 13 matches so Runcorn will need to be on top of our game.
Grant Shenton, a former Avro goalkeeper and captain, who made more than 150 appearances for the club, has thus far enjoyed a highly-impressive transition into management.
He was appointed in April this year, succeeding co-managers David Birch and Michael Norton, who had been in post for nine months.
Avro have a very good home record in the league this season - like ourselves, losing only once.
Concidentallly, Shifnal Town inflicted both of these defeats by 2-1 margins.
Avro were beaten by the Shropshire outfit after being held 1-1 by visiting Bury in their opening NPL home game but they have won four out of the last five league games on their own ground.
They have beaten Vauxhall, Wythenshawe Town, Clitheroe and Stalybridge, while sharing the spoils with Newcastle Town 0-0.
Knockout games at the Vestacre have resulted in a 1-1 draw against Nantwich Town in the Emirates FA Cup - the Cheshire club winning the replay 2-0 - and a 3-1 FA Trophy defeat to Clitheroe.
However, there was an emphatic response when the Lancastrians returned in the league a month later with Avro running out 4-0 winners.
Team news
Linnets boss Brad Cooke predicted after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Stafford that it would be another couple of weeks before top scorer Scott Bakkor has fully recovered from his hamstring problem.
But Ryan Brooke's return to fitness after a lay-off under the concussion protocol is very welcome.
Naim Arsan is now a clear second in the club's first-team scoring charts after his whirlwind opener at Stafford's Stan Robinson Stadium, clocked at 26 seconds.
It was the Welsh winger's second successive scoring game and a fourth goal in his last seven outings.
Summer signing Markell Foulds on Saturday became the 12th Runcorn scorer of the season, on his 11th start (and 14th appearance).
How to get there
By car: Exit M60 at Junction 22. Follow signs for Oldham South/Hollinwood Services (Esso), at the small roundabout go straight on to A6104 Hollins Road. Follow the road past Limeside Asda and then just before the Texaco garage on your left, make a right turn
into Oak Road. Follow Oak Road to the end and turn right onto Elm Road, then first left onto White Bank Road. The Vestacare
Stadium is on the left.
By Tram - Take the Rochdale tram line from Manchester City Centre or Oldham Mumps. Get off at the Derker Metrolink stop. The stadium is approximately a 15-minute walk from here, via Cromford Street and White Bank Road.
By Train - The nearest station is Mills Hill, (about two miles away). From the station, you can take a taxi or the 409 bus to the stadium.
Check timetables from Runcorn East here.
Admission
Adults: £11; Concessions(Over 65s): £9; Under 21s: £7.
