Runcorn geared up for start of big home run

Picture by Peter Gallagher-Headley

RUNCORN LINNETS v Avro

Pitching In Northern Premier League West

Saturday, January 24th 2026

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

Runcorn Linnets begin a run of four successive home games - five in our next six league outings are at APEC Taxis Stadium - as we host Avro in the first  of two back-to-back home clashes against the top sides with Lower Breck to follow on Tuesday.

Avro come to Murdishaw looking to avoid a straight hat-trick of defeats, following losses at Darlaston Town and at home to Lower Breck.

They will also be out to avenge a 2-1 loss to Linnets in Oldham at the end of October.

Goals from Harvey Washington and Ryan Brooke tipped the balance in our favour with Jack Kenny replying for the 'Ro in stoppage time.

The match against Northern Premier League West's second-placed club continues a testing start to Michael Ellison's return Runcorn reign.

It began with away victories against Vauxhall Motors and Chasetown, separated by a Liverpool Senior Cup home win over MSB Woolton, but we suffered a first setback with midweek defeat in the Cheshire Senior Cup quarter-finals at Nantwich Town.

Linnets should be back towards something like full strength for the return to league action, although hamstring injuries picked up by Markell Foulds and Harvey Washington on Tuesday won't help.

Sadly, Eden Gumbs is a long-term absentee because of a broken leg.

Ryan Brooke, who has been out for more than two months with a back injury, was able to participate in the warm-up on Tuesday.

Special offer

The Runcorn Linnets Triple Ticket is here 🙌

Watch the Linnets take on:

🆚 Avro

🆚 Lower Breck

🆚 Nantwich Town

Three massive home games. One great-value package.

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🎟 Triple Ticket Prices

£25 Adults

£18 Concessions

£4 Kids

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Past meetings

This is Avro's third trip to APEC Stadium for a league match.

The previous two in NPL West both brought a win - as did our 2021 FA Cup meeting in a Preliminaey Round replay after a 1-1 draw at.Vestacare Stadium.

LEAGUE.MATCHES - NPL West

Saturday 16th March 2024

Victory was badly needed after two straight defeats for the Yellow & Greens and it carried the bonus of a return to second place in the table.

Avro were every bit as difficult to shrug off as Linnets had expected.

Runcorn Linnets 2

Ryan Brooke 19

Sean O'Mahony, pen, 66

Avro 1

Ethan Kershaw 45+2

Attendance: 609

Saturday April 12th 2025

Promotion hopes and the chance of Liverpool Senior Cup success had been extinguished by two defeats in six days but Brad Cooke's charges got back on the winning trail.

Runcorn Linnets 1

Adam Moseley 54

Avro 0

Attendance: 485

OTHER MATCH - Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round replay

Saturday, August 21st 2021

Runcorn Linnets 4

Iwan Murray 85, 92

Ryan Brooke 109

Oladapo Olarewaju 120

Avro 1

Louis Potts 90

Attendance: 473

Form guide

Of their 12 away league games, Avro have won seven and drawn three.

Their 1-0 defeat at Darlaston Town on Wedneday last week was the first on their NPL travels since August 19th, when they went down 3-2 at Bootle.

Avro's biggest win on the road this season was their 3-0 at Lower Breck on November 12th with the Anfield table-toppers winning last Saturday's return fixture 3-1.

This will be Linnets' first home league game of Michael Ellison's second command and the first NPL West game on our pitch since New Year's Day.

Avro have the division's second best away record in 2025-26 while our home return is the sixth highest, although we have had fewer home matches than most.

Our current league record at Stockham Lane is P8 D1 L2.

Double take

Saturday's match is the first part of a double-header weekend as our Under 21s also entertain Avro on Sunday, January 25th in the North West Under 21s League Premier Division (ko 2pm)

Linnets U21s are second in the table, six points behind Warrington Town but with three games in hand while Avro are eighth. The return fixture is on Sunday, February 15th.

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-alcoholic drinks while hot food, tea, coffee and soft drinks and confectionery are on sale from the tea bar.