Linnets bounce back with Steele-y resolve
- dbettley
- Dec 17, 2025
- 3 min read
Runcorn Linnets 2 Clitheroe 0
Report by Dave Bettley with match pictures by Ben Jackson
Runcorn went back to basics for the win, which restored their sixth position in Pitching In Northern Premier League West.
A 15th goal of the season from Scott Bakkor and a second in as many games for James Steele since his return to the club provided the springboard.
After a fourth NPL West defeat of the campaign at Sporting Khalsa, a return to core values set up a repeat victory over Clitheroe, who had been already been defeated at APEC Taxis Stadium in this season's Emirates FA Cup.
The Lancastrians arrived four days after beating National League visitors York City on penalties in the Isuzu FA Trophy.
Linnets' first-team coach Lee Bignell said: "As staff, as a management team, we've discussed Saturday's performance and there were elements, which just weren't good enough.
"We've gone away from what we were good at, at the beginning of the season, in terms of being compact, being sold, keeping those clean sheets.
"I thought we were brilliant. From back to front, we were solid. Everything we asked the lads to do, they've done and they did it well.
"There were some good individual performances but overall as a team, we looked really good, really comfortable.
"Take nothing away from Clitheroe, they've come off a really good result at the weekend. They've caused us problems in spells but I think we handled it really well.
"We rode a bit of a storm towards the end but we were well worthy of the three points."
Runcorn will hope that victory didn't come at too much of a cost as Adam Rooney and Scott Bakkor - key men at either end of the pitch - went off injured.
Centre half Rooney took a bang in a clash of heads with Clitheroe's No.9 Sefton Gonzales while top scorer Bakkor suffered a gash on a knee.
Both men's fitness will be assessed ahead of Friday's home league game against Atherton Collieries (ko 7.45pm)
Linnets showed five changes from the team, which had been beaten in the West Midlands.
The most significant switches came in attack.
Bakkor returned to his central role while Steele made his first start on the right.
In a game of few chances, both made opportunities count.
A marauding run by right back Joe Ferguson, who had missed three games with a back injury, laid the platform for Runcorn's 15th-minute opener.
Eden Gumbs continued the move with a pass out wide for Naim Arsan to find Steele with a cross from the left, which he met with a purposeful, angled header inside the near post.
Another ball in from the same flank, this time by left back Matty Rain, helped Runcorn to extend their lead in the 34th.
It caused uncertainty in the visiting defence which the predatory Bakkor was quick to exploit at close range.
Clitheroe enjoyed a good share of possession and territory, Josh Bright proving a handful on Runcorn's right, but they lacked a cutting edge.
Rooney had kept Gonzales unusually quiet but 'keeper Bayleigh Passant had to smother a header from the redoubtable striker just before the interval.
Peter Wylie kept an equally close watch after Rooney's departure, making a very timely interception with Gonzales ready to pounce on a tasty cross from the right by Jacob Hanson.
For Linnets, the second half was all about retaining shape, discipline and intensity. This they did, their efforts epitomised by a man-of-the-match performance in midfield from Markell Foulds.
There were even fewer openings. But a piercing run between two defenders by Eden Gumbs ended with Zac Hadi, the tallest of 'keepers, getting down smartly to palm away the Runcorn utility man's shot from the left of the area.
Steele was so close to snapping up the rebound.
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Jacques Welsh (Dec McLoughlin, 70 mins), Adam Rooney (Peter Wylie, 51 mins), Harvey Washington, James Steele (Lewis Crane 90+1 mins), Markell Foulds, Scott Bakkor (Oskar Rosenblatt, 65 mins), Eden Gumbs, Naim Arsan (Lewis Doyle, 70 mins).
Attendance: 478.
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