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Senior Cup history is made as Adam Moseley hat-trick secures landmark trophy for Runcorn Linnets

Updated: May 13


Runcorn Linnets - Cheshire Senior Cup winners 2024-25. Picture by Peter Cantwell.
Runcorn Linnets - Cheshire Senior Cup winners 2024-25. Picture by Peter Cantwell.

Runcorn Linnets 3 Stalybridge Celtic 0


Report by Dave Bettley


The Cheshire Senior Cup is draped in Yellow & Green again - local lad Adam Moseley's memorable hat-trick fittingly bringing it home.


In lifting the trophy for the first time, Runcorn Linnets proudly revived the strong traditions of 12 times winners Runcorn AFC, who had first claimed the county crown a century ago.


They wore it for the last time in 1989 at the end of a five-year winning streak, bettered only by Northwich Victoria's six consecutive victories from the competition's launch in 1880.


A hundred years on from the original club's inaugural Senior Cup success against Crewe Alexandra in 1925, it was written in the stars that a new chapter would be added to the town's football history.


The road back to the final has been

long for Linnets supporters, who outnumbered the opposition two to one at Chester's Deva Stadium.


Few could have envisaged it happening when the phoenix club rose from the ashes 19 years ago.



Top: Jacques Welsh receives the Cheshire Senior Cup. Above left: hat-trick hero Adam Moseley. Above right: Linnets fans are loud and proud. Pictures by Peter Cantwell.
Top: Jacques Welsh receives the Cheshire Senior Cup. Above left: hat-trick hero Adam Moseley. Above right: Linnets fans are loud and proud. Pictures by Peter Cantwell.

But after three final defeats in four years - two in the Play-offs, the other in the Liverpool Senior Cup - success tasted all the sweeter.


Moseley clinically rounded off a home county campaign, which he began in October with two goals in Linnets' 3-0 first-round win at Witton Albion.


His substitution into the last 20 minutes brought Linnets' matchwinner a deserved standing ovation.


Runcorn had endured a deflating end to the league season to finish five places below their Cup final rivals in Pitching In Northern Premier League West.


But the vim and vigour seen earlier in manager Brad Cooke's embryonic reign was back with a vengeance.


Linnets had the job done inside an hour, Moseley netting his treble between the 31st and 57th minutes to brush Stalybridge aside.


It was Runcorn's third victory over the Tamesiders in 2024-25 and certainly more straight forward than the previous two.


But that's not to say they didn't work hard for the win.



Savouring the moment - clockwise from top left: Assistant boss Rob Sadler and manager Brad Cooke; Ryan Brooke and Jacques Welsh;  Bayleigh Passant; Adam Moseley and Joe Ferguson. Centre: Naim Arsan. Pictures by Peter Cantwell.
Savouring the moment - clockwise from top left: Assistant boss Rob Sadler and manager Brad Cooke; Ryan Brooke and Jacques Welsh; Bayleigh Passant; Adam Moseley and Joe Ferguson. Centre: Naim Arsan. Pictures by Peter Cantwell.

While Moseley grabbed the headlines, the performance from the whole team was worthy of note. It produced a first winners' trophy for Linnets as a Northern Premier League Cup, their last having come with North West Counties Premier Division title success in 2017-18.


Stalybridge began promisingly but after the first 10 minutes, there was only going to be one winner.


Runcorn's will to win was evident and while defender Eden Gumbs had to divert a shot away from the Runcorn goalline inside the first five minutes, Cooke's men were in the ascendancy from then on.


Jacques Welsh and Lewis Doyle were driving forces in midfield.


Meanwhile, Ryan Brooke's club record-breaking heroics in March's meeting at APEC Taxis Stadium was playing on the minds of the Stalybridge defence.


Having set a new all-time scoring feat with two goals in Runcorn's stunning 3-2 comeback win, Brooke softened up the Blues rearguard for Moseley to capitalise.


Runcorn had found the net in the 15th minute when the centre forward charged down a clearance from nervy Stalybridge 'keeper Charlie Monks.


There was a suspicion of a foul on Brooke inside the box in the aftermath. But play continued with a Naim Arsan cross from the left, Luke Wall forcing it home at the far post - only to be ruled offside.


Welsh then tested Stalybridge's resolve with two quickfire shots from outside the box.


The first, after more another Arsan assist, bounced wickedly off the turf, up into the face of a surprised Monks, and the second flashed wide.



Boss Brad Cooke is shrouded in smoke as he salutes the fans at the end. Picture by Peter Cantwell.
Boss Brad Cooke is shrouded in smoke as he salutes the fans at the end. Picture by Peter Cantwell.

The goal which had been coming was delivered by Moseley.


Surrounded by defenders as he ran onto a Luke Wall header after Brooke had played the ball forward, the young striker checked his stride, composed himself and picked his spot from outside the area.


Halfway into four minutes of stoppage time, the screw was turned.


Doyle's left-wing corner dropped to Welsh, who with back to goal turned to find Moseley at the far post for his second from close range.


The question at half-time was whether Stalybridge could overturn the two-goal deficit as Runcorn had done in winning both of this season's league encounters.


Arsan almost had an answer within four minutes, rattling the bar after releasing Wall on the right and getting on the end of the cross from his one-time Bala Town team-mate.



Clockwise from top left: An attempted clearance  from the Stalybridge 'keeper is blocked by Ryan Brooke, sparking a move which saw an early Luke Wall 'goal' flagged offside; Adam Moseley defends from the front; Lewis Doyle gets to grips with the task in midfield; Naim Arsan has Celtic backpedalling. Pictures by Neil Thornton.
Clockwise from top left: An attempted clearance from the Stalybridge 'keeper is blocked by Ryan Brooke, sparking a move which saw an early Luke Wall 'goal' flagged offside; Adam Moseley defends from the front; Lewis Doyle gets to grips with the task in midfield; Naim Arsan has Celtic backpedalling. Pictures by Neil Thornton.

But it was game over with only 12 minutes of the half played.


From a well-crafted move on the left, involving Gumbs, Arsan and Wall, the ball was played by Doyle high across the box for Moseley, who rifled joufully into the roof of the net on the half volley.


Runcorn cruised through the remaining minutes, central defenders Peter Wylie and Harvey Washington snuffing out what little threat a well-beaten Stalybridge side could muster.


The honour of collecting the trophy was shared by club captain James Short and Jacques Welsh, who has skippered the team in the second half of the season during Short's long absence.


Among the Linnets players picking up mementoes was Under 21s midfielder Sam Stephens, featuring for the first time in the senior squad.


Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Peter Wylie, Eden Gumbs, Lewis Doyle, Joe Ferguson, Harvey Washington, Adam Moseley (Jorge Dwyer, 73 mins), Jacques Welsh, Ryan Brooke, Luke Wall, Naim Arsan. Subs (not used): Alex Ellams (GK), Jay Lee, Lewis Nolan, Sam Stephens.


Attemdance: 1,376.


Linnets Trust Board members get a piece of the action as they join the on-field celebrations with  manager Brad Cooke (second left) and assistant Rob Sadler (far left). Picture by Peter Cantwell.
Linnets Trust Board members get a piece of the action as they join the on-field celebrations with manager Brad Cooke (second left) and assistant Rob Sadler (far left). Picture by Peter Cantwell.

 
 
 

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