Runcorn Linnets cruise to biggest away victory as Shifnal run out of steam
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Shifnal Town 0 Runcorn Linnets 4
Report by Dave Bettley with pictures by Kelly Jones
Shifnal Town 0 Runcorn Linnets 4
Linnets ultimately overpowered Shifnal after finding top gear in the second half to stay well in the Northern Premier League West title mix.
It had been a close contest before the interval, but the hosts later ran out of steam as Runcorn put on a show of strength in tough conditions.
Harry McGee and Matty Rain struck in quick succession soon after the hour to extend the lead Scott Bakkor had opened from a penalty, awarded in the first minute.
Victory was completed by an own goal, Linnets securing their biggest away win of the campaign to condemn the Shropshire hosts to their heaviest home defeat.
This always felt like a must-win game for promotion-chasing Runcorn, who had dropped five points from the last six.
They approached the task in the knowledge that the top two sides, Bury and Lower Breck were strong favourites in their respective home games and Linnets could ill afford to lose further ground.
Both were indeed successful, but Linnets not only matched their results but also moved above Avro, who were not in action, into third place.
Shifnal had done well to get the pitch playable and while it looked in decent condition from the sidelines, the pre-match walkabouts were conducted with an air of suspicion to suggest it would not take much to make the going heavy.
Rain arrived right on cue at kick-off time, and the surface soon began to look worse for wear after the downpours it had already taken in the week.
With Sean Miller unavailable and James Steele having suffered an injury in training on Thursday, Linnets lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation.
Rain returned at left back with Naim Arsan in front of him. Harry McGee was selected on the right of midfield with Lewis Doyle taking Miller's position behind frontrunner Bakkor.
With nine minutes of the half remaining, Runcorn boss Michael Ellison switched to a back three, matching Shifnal's formation.
Winger Arsan made way for substitute Isaac Graham's arrival in central midfield.
This helped the visitors to consolidate their position and go on to win convincingly.
The game could not have started any better for Runcorn, who were ahead from a spot-kick awarded inside the first 60 seconds for a blatant handball.
By the time the penalty was taken, the match had rolled into its second minute.
Top scorer Bakkor, whose attempted knock from the right had been illegally intercepted, was the taker in the absence of Miller and he sent 'keeper Andrew Wycherley the wrong way.
Shifnal, eighth in the table but without a win in 2026, gave as good as they got in the first half as both sides created good chances from open play.
The hosts came closest to an equaliser when veteran centre forward Matthew Barnes-Horner's header from an 11th-minute Stephen Morley corner was smartly tipped over by Yusuf Mersin.
Another aberration by the home side promptly saw Runcorn being awarded an indirect free-kick inside the home area.
Wycherley mistakenly picked up a back pass inside his area. Bakkor touched the ball to McGee, who could only fire into the side netting.
Linnets created some promising openings, the clearest when Harvey Washington's purposeful long ball out of defence was helped into the path of Doyle.
But the Runcorn midfielder couldn't make the most of the opportunity, despite getting two attempts.
Runcorn took a stranglehold as the game entered its final third, scoring twice more in in the space of three minutes.
18-goal Bakkor underlined his influence on the contest with involvement in both.
Receiving a pass from Doyle just outside the area with back to goal, the striker swivelled away from his marker to cross from the right.
It was turned home by McGee, who was now playing the role of the second striker.
The 61st-minute goal was a fourth for the former Widnes and Lower Breck player in his first 10 Linnets appearances.
Three minutes later, Bakkor slipped the ball through for wing back Rain to go clear before launching a super shot with his trusted left boot into the high into the right corner.
Peter Wylie was denied a rare Runcorn goal, Wycherley pulling off a wonderful save to thwart the long-serving defender, who had met Graham's cross from the right with a powerful back-post header.
McGee was released again by Bakkor for a run and another shot at goal. But with an option to play the ball left to the supporting Joe Ferguson, Runcorn's second scorer was this time thwarted by Wycherley.
The Shifnal 'keeper could do nothing, however, to prevent Runcorn's fourth six minutes from time.
It was a headed OG from the home team's 40-year-old frontman Barnes-Horner.
Linnets boss Ellison, suitably delighted with the four-goal haul, was just as pleased with the clean sheet.
Runcorn's defence held firm as Shifnal tried to salvage something late on.
The win, a perfect response to October's 2-1 home loss to Shifnal, keeps the pressure on leaders Bury and second-placed Lower Breck.
Runcorn still trail Bury by five points and Breck, who have played a game fewer than both, by one.
Avro, in fourth, are two points adrift of Linnets but have played three matches fewer.
Now on 60 points for the campaign, Linnets will still hold a slight advantage over Vauxhall, Stalybridge Celtic and Bootle should the chasing trio win all games in hand.
Runcorn travel to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday in the Liverpool Senior Cup quarter-final before next Saturday heading to Clitheroe, who thumped visiting Darlaston Town 9-1 this weekend.
Runcorn Linnets: Yusuf Mersin, Joe Ferguson, Matty Rain, Peter Wylie, Harvey Wahington, Jacques Welsh, Harry McGee (Declan McLoughlin, 79 mins), Steven Irwin, Scott Bakkor (Ryan Brooke, 80 mins), Lewis Doyle (Elliot Rokka, 81 mins), Naim Arsan (Isaac Graham, 36 mins). Sub (not used): Joel Street.
Attendance: 194.
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