Linnets look to take over at the top

Michael Ellison has led Linnets to four wins and two draws in six NPL West matches

RUNCORN LINNETS v Chasetown

Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division

Tuesday, February 3rd 2026 (ko 7.45pm)

APEC Taxis Stadium, Stockham Lane, Murdishaw, Runcorn, WA7 6GJ.

Match Preview

Will it be third time lucky for Linnets as it was last week when we defeated table toppers Lower Breck?

Chasetown come here for a fixture, which like the one against Breck has been blighted by postponements.

The Scholars' first visit in November fell victim to a very late call-off after a cloudburst close to kick-off.

At least they didn't travel for the rescheduled match at the beginning of this month, when the pitch was snowed under.

We will be sure to check the weather forecast before this one!

Linnets made up for lost time with last Tuesday's 4-2 against the table toppers, who they can overtake with another midweek victory.

We will be pitting our footballing wits against another of the fancied sides in our fourth home game in 10 days.

Linnets have, of course, recently met Chasetown on their own patch.

Late goals from Scott Bakkor and James Steele, set up by Harry McGee, dramatically turned the game on our favour after the Staffordshire hosts had led from the 44th minute.

It was our fourth win in as many attempts at the Scholars Ground but Chasetown have won on their last two visits to Stockham Lane.

Player watch

Goalscoring midfielder Jack Langston is always a standout player for Chasetown.

Langston is a survivor from the first meeting of the clubs on Tuesday, August 21st 2018.

Chasetown 'keeper Curtis Pond and wideman George Cater, their goalscorer against us earlier this month, likewise featured in that contest, which brought Peter Wylie's Linnets debut.

Langston has appeared more than 300 times for Chasetown, who he rejoined in 2017 from Stafford Rangers - having also played for Gresley Rovers.

A scorer on the Scholars' first two appearances at Murdishaw, Langston was named alongside Matty Rain and Sean Miller in NPL West's 2024-25;Team of the Season in 2024-25 after scoring 19 goaIs in 38 outings with 14 assists.

His fellow long-serving team-mate Pond was among the substitutes in the all-star line-up - as was Steven Irwin, who recently became the fourth of Widnes' championship-winning squad to join us.

Murdishaw meetings

Tuesday, August 21st 2018

NPL West Division

RUNCORN LINNETS 2

Kurt Sherlock, Kris Holt

Chasetown 1

Jack Langston

Linnets line-up: Dylan Forth, Louis Corrigan, Aaron Morris, Peter Wylie, Michael Simpson, Ronnie McCarthy, Kristian Holt, Kyle Hamid, Freddie Potter, Paul Shanley, Kurt Sherlock. Subs: Kieran Nolan, Adam Gilchrist. Not used: Niall Watson, Jimmy Moore, Danny O'Brien.

Attendance: 373.

Saturday, August 12th 2023

(NPL West Division)

RUNCORN LINNETS 1

Levi Chiduku (68)

Chasetown 2

Jack Langston (48)

Luke Yates (50)

Linnets line-up: Bayleigh Passant, Harry Hagan, Peter Wyllie, Jacques Welsh, Sean O'Mahony, Antony Kay, Will Saxon, Joe Lynch, Ryan Brooke, Lewis Doyle, Eden Gumbs. Subs: Alex Perry, Kenny Brown, Levi Chiduku. Not used: James Short.

Attendance: 613

Saturday, November 2nd 2024

RUNCORN LINNETS

Naim Arsan, pen (37), Will Saxon (60)

Chasetown 3

Joe Dunne (48), Lewi Burnside (50), Kieran Fenton (77)

Linnets line-up: Bayleigh Passant, Sam Barratt, James Short,, Lewis Doyle, Peter Wylie, Harvey Washington, Will Saxon, Jacqus Welsh, Jaden Jones, Luke Wall, Naim Arsan. Subs: Eden Gumbs, Lewis Nolan, Lewis Crane. not used: Alex Ellams (Gk), Karl Clair.

Attendance: 520.

Form guide

Since we last met, Chasetown have played twice - winning 2-1 at Lower Breck but being defeated 1-0 at home by Bury.

They are ninth in the table and eighth in the form rankings.

It's a fact

Picture by Peter Gallagher-Headley

Naim Arsan (above) is our highest 2025-26 appearance maker, having played in 39 games (32 starts + seven sub) out of a possible 41.

Lewis Doyle is on 37 appearances (28+9) and Adam Roney on 36 (all of them starts).

Matty Rain, who has missed the last four matches through injury, is on 35 appearances (30+5).

Top scorer Scott Bakkor has 17 goals in 30 appearances (28+2) with Lewis Crane (11+13) and Sean Miller (14+9) both on eight and Naim on seven.

Scott and Lewis have one hat-trick apiece.

Sean has scored three penalties and Scott two with Lewis and Naim on one penalty each.

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)  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

Picture by Peter Gallagher-Headley

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