Linnets reap the rewards of FA Cup progress

A thumbs up from Brad Cooke as Linnets reflect on an unbeaten first month of the season.

West Didsbury & Chorlton 0 Runcorn Linnets 2

Report by Dave Bettley with pictures from Kelly Jones

Linnets reached the Second Round Qualifying of the Emirates FA Cup for the sixth time, this being their 18th season of involvement.

After winning their third successive tie to nil, Brad Cooke's side are one victory away from equalling the club's best runs in the competition.

They made it to the third qualifying stage in 2013-14 and 2021-22.

Although not at their most fluent, the further depleted Linnets saw off their hosts with a goal in each half.

Apart from a ten-minute spell soon after the hour, they were not overly troubled by their former North West Counties League rivals.

Another £2,250 in winnings will be deposited into the club account.

Runcorn can also look forward to a significant bonus from their share of ticket sales, 1,169 having braved the Mancunian rain.

In gr-eight form - Scott Bakkor silences the home crowd.

Linnets top scorer Scott Bakkor lobbed Runcorn ahead in the 45th minute of a contest, which had been something of a damp squib.

Both sides raised their attacking game in the second half, the visitors holding off a spell of sustained West Didsbury & Chorlton pressure to secure progress with a second goal 14 minutes from time.

The clincher came from the move of the match as Bakkor and Joe Ferguson combined well, supplying the ammunition for Naim Arsan to flash home a superb header.

It was an impressive leap, eight yards out at the back post, from one of the smaller players in the away line-up.

Ferguson was by this time playing in a more advanced role on the right after a dead-leg injury taken into the game by Ryan Brooke had forced the striker's interval withdrawal.

Defender Peter Wylie, having replaced Brooke, took over at right back with Ferguson ahead of him.

Linnets had started brightly enough but the first half was a mish-mash, neither side able to take control until Bakkor strick,

The play had been hurried, littered with misplaced passes and lacked any pattern.

There was barely a chance to speak of - until with time almost up, Bakkor fastened onto Dec McLoughlin's through ball from Jorge Dwyer's chestdown.

The No.9 caught Oliver Martin stranded with a well-executed 22-yard chip for his eighth goal of a season, which is only seven games old.

With Eden Gumbs and Lewis Doyle being added to the list of absentees - club captain Jacques Welsh at least rejoining the squad after injury as an unused substitute - Linnets saw Cusani pull up in the 36th minute.

Arriving on the scene, physio Darren Berrill immediately signalled that the player needed to come off.

Manager Cooke later reveaked that, like Brooke, Cusani hadn't been 100% from the start.

Dwyer was introduced into midfield. But it was only with the second Linnets substitution at half-time that a more like-for-like replacement was identified for the stricken wide man.

Ferguson best fitted the bill in the continued unavailability of right-side raiders Adam Moseley and Luke Wall.

Joe Feruson winces after a challenge but he caused the hosts plenty of pain of their own.

Ferguson rattled the bar within five minutes of his forwards promotion before almost setting up Arsan, a cross eluding the left winger.

Although there had been little between the sides before the break, Runcorn's defensive work had kept the home team safely away from their goal.

But there followed a 10-minute period when Runcorn had to deal with an onslaught.

Jack Banister blazed over with a shot from West Didsbury & Chorlton's best opportunity by a distance.

It stemmed from a cross from the right and Harvey Washington was soon having to head away another inside Runcorn's six-yard box.

Linnets also conceded a free-kick in dangerous position right of centre.

It was close enough for an attempt on goal but Adam Dawson's drive was always veering wide of the left post as Bayleigh Passant dived across his line.

Although West had a go in stoppage time in a bid to grab a goal from the tie, Runcorn's second had put the issue beyond any real doubt.

Bakkor almost made it three lwhen holding off substitute defender Latiq Roberts after running laterally in the left of the penalty area (above).

But 'keeper Martin came off his near post to make a good chargedown save.

Manager Cooke at full-time rightly praised the resolve of his players in negotiating a testing August schedule as the only NPL West outfit to remain unbeaten in all competitions.

It's an achievement which is all the more admitable with the selection issues in three games over the last eight days.

Linnets now await Monday's draw in the knowledge that whatever it brings, an engagement in another national competition - the Isuzu FA Trophy - awaits them on Saturday when Northern Premier League East outfit Garforth Town visit APEC Taxis Stadium.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Markell Foulds, Adam Rooney, Harvey Washington, Marcus Cusani (Jorge Dwyer, 36 mins), Declan McLoughlin, Scott Bakkor, Ryan Brooke (Peter Wylie, 46 mins), Naim Arsan (Lewis Crane, 90+1 mins)

Subs not used: Alex Ellams (GK), Jacques Welsh.

Attendance: 1,169.

Ryan Brooke wins a header but is one of two players forced off by injury before Saturday's tie had passed its halfway stage.