Linnets target West Division double over visiting Dabbers

Picture by Peter Gallagher-Headley

RUNCORN LINNETS v Nantwich Town

Saturday. January 31st 2026

PItching in Northern Premier League West Division

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

Our next two home matches pitch us against sides we have played away in the last couple of weeks.

With Chasetown to follow on Tuesday, attention initially centres on the visit of Nantwich Town to whom we lost in the Cheshire Senior Cup at Swansway Stadium last Tuesday week.

However, our league victory on the same ground in mid-November means that we have chance of an NPL West double over our Cheshire neighbours from the south of the county.

Runcorn will be buoyant after Tuesday's thrillling 4-2 defeat of leaders Lower Breck, which took us to within three points of the table toppers.

However, a glance at the current form table suggests that Nantwich pose a big threat.

They have posted more points than any other side in the division over the last six games.

Jon Moran left the team in decent shape when he resigned at the start of the year, as indeed did our own previous manager Brad Cooke.

Michael Ellison has put his own stamp on Linnets, who have picked up 10 points from a possible 12 under the new manager.

Nantwich's new incumbent, Luke Goddard is no stranger to the APEC as he spent the first half of the season as co-manager of our tenants Northwich Victoria. He might need a gentle reminder on arrival that he's in the away dressing room!

History trail

Nantwich are relatively new league opponents for Linnets. This is their third season back at Step 4 after spending the previous 15 seasons at the level above.

They finished third behind champions Fleetwood Town and runners-up to Ilkeston Town in NPL Premier in 2008-09 - on the back of two successive promotions (from North West Counties Division One, now known as the Premier Division, and Division One South).

They had 25 seasons in the Counties after joining in 1981-82 from the Cheshire League in which they had competed bdtween 1918-1938 and again from 1968, changing name from Nantwich to Nantwich Town for the 1973-74 season.

In between, they were in the Mid-Cheshire and Manchester Leagues.

Past clashes

Kelly Jones captured the action as we exited the Cheshire Senior Cup after 2-0 quarter-final defeat in Nantwich last midweek. However, we had already won at Swansway Stadium in the league, thanks to goals from Dec McLoughlin and Scott Bakkor.

We have entertained the Dabbers twice before in NPL West and are still to score against them, Nantwich having gone home with a goalless draw and an only-goal win.

2023-24

Friday March 29th 2024

Runcorn Linnets 0

Nantwich Town 0

Attendance: 847

2024-25

Saturday October 19th 2024

Runcorn Linnets 0

Nantwich Town 1

Kelvin Mellor (9)

Attendance: 581

Form guide

Linnets are unbeaten in the league since January 1st, when we lost 5-0 at home to Witton Albion in what proved to be Brad Cooke's final match.

We go into our 14th home match of the NPL campaign having been beaten just twice in the league on our own pitch - and five times in  27 West Division matches overall.

Linnets are fourth in the form table with three wins two draws and a defeat in the last six, compared with the visiting Dabbers' four wins, one draw and one loss.

We have the third best home points total in the 22-team division with 29 points from 13 games. Stalybridge (31 points) and Bury (30 point) have both played 14 in front of their own supporters.

Nantwich are ranked 12th for away performance. They have had five wins, a draw and seven defeats.

Numbers game

Picture by Ben Jackson

The first of our four midweek goals against Lower Breck (scored by Scott Bakkor) was our 50th of the league season and the 78th from 40 games in all competitions.

Isaac Graham, who grabbed the fourth, was the first player to score in the 'jinxed' No.8 shirt this season. Seven others had tried before him.

It means goals have now been scored in all outfield starting numbers 2-11 as well as subs Nos.12, 15, 16 and 17.

Number 14 plus the seldom used 18 and 19 remain goalless!!

Post-match entertainment

There is live music in the clubhouse after Saturday's game as Lè-Verg  make a welcome return to the MDB Gas Clubhouse.

They ar e a duo, fomed about 12 years ago after a chance meeting at a 40th birthday bash in Runcorn.

Junior approached Debbie after hearing her sing a Karen Carpenter song and a partnership was born.

They have gigged extensively since then, playing covers as well as original songs.

An article posted on www.liverpoolacoustic.co.uk in October 2022 stated:

"In January 2022, Junior Dayvis won the audience vote at the Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge.

"Junior is a singer/songwriter and musician from Runcorn and Debbie Studley has been singing since she was about 8 years old, first singing in public when she was on a family holiday in Benidorm at the age of 10.

"Growing up Debbie sang in school productions and at family parties. During holidays she would always enter talent shows and performed well in competitions, winning many of them at a young age.

"Debbie’s biggest competition win was at the Imperial in Widnes where she won a £1,000.

"Debbie and Junior met at a friends birthday party and decided to have a jam together and there formed Lè-Verg."

The live music starts at 6.30pm, there are special offers on drinks from 7pm-8pm and karaoke. All are welcome - even if you can't make the match!

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

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

Tickets can be purchased in advance.

Picture by Peter Gallagher-Headley