Linnets edged out on the road

Prescot Cables 1 Runcorn Linnets 0

A disappointing sequence of pre-season results was extended by a fourth straight defeat for Runcorn Linnets.

Opening-night victory at Euxton Villa remains their only success so far after competitive but frenetic Friday friendly went in favour of the Northern Premier League Premier Division hosts.

They triumphed thanks to Jack Goodwin's lobbed second-half effort over a stranded Bayleigh Passant.

Prescot generally held sway in terms of pressure and goal attempts, their corner count heavily outnumbering that of Linnets.

But both sides had their work cut out on a parched pitch, controlled football proving difficult.

Runcorn held firm defensively yet created precious little until somewhat belatedly threatening in the last 10 minutes.

Jorge Dwyer saw a long-range shot bounce off the underworked Cables 'keeper, a little fortunately for the hosts rebounding into their possession.

Dec McLoughlin, who played as well as anyone in Yellow & Green, brought a save with another distant effort while Scott Bakkor was denied by a goal-saving intervention at close quarters.

A fast-raiding Prescot outfit had twice struck the woodwork in the opening half, firstly rattling the bar in the early seconds.

They then saw a deflected effort from a corner hit the outside of the right post.

The away side responded with a shot against the same upright after the break.

However, it had begun to look like neither team would score before Prescot gained an overdue advantage in the 75th minute.

Runcorn had just made a quadruple substitution five minutes earlier, withdrawing three quarters of their starting defence.

A third game in a row without scoring is a slight concern for Brad Cooke but with the talent at his disposal, the manager can be confident that the tide will soon turn.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain (Triallist, 70 mins), Jacques Welsh (Jorge Dwyer, 70 mins), Peter Wylie (Harvey Washington, 70 mins) Adam Rooney (Markell Foulds, 70 mins), Luke Wall, Dec McLoughlin, Ryan Brooke (Adam Moseley, 60 mins), Scott Bakkor, Naim Arsan.