Great Scott does the trick for Linnets

Scott Bakkor completes his treble in stoppage time.

Whitchurch Alport 0 Runcorn Linnets 3

Report by Dave Bettley; pictures by Neil Thornton

Runcorn safely negotiated the preliminary stage of the Emirates FA Cup as in-form striker Scott Bakkor's second-half hat-trick ended the resistance of their Midland League Premier Division hosts.

The tie had been nothing to write home about before the break but Linnets raised their game sufficiently to comfortably progress into the 1st qualifying round.

Brad Cooke's charges have so far banked a useful £2,569 in prizemoney from this season's competition by winning their first two ties.

Linnets now await Monday's draw with interest.

Cooke and assistant Rob Sadler can ultimately be satisfied with the result but they had been far from impressed with the performance in the opening 45 minutes. It was sloppy and fragmented.

The visitors could have struck in the very first minute, Bakkor and Lewis Doyle in turn being denied by saves in the same Runcorn attack.

But it was a rare moment of excitement early on.

The frustrations of the Linnets management team shone through, Cooke and assistant Rob Sadler being visibly riled by the lack of application from their players.

Runcorn had to get better in the second half but it could have got worse just before the break.

Theo Knight drilled a low shot against an upright from a Whitchurch free-kick, awarded on the edge of the box.

The visitors had already struck the woodwork at the other end courtesy of Bakkor, who was to extend a promising start to his Linnets career by making it five goals in four outings.

Early momentum had been affected by the loss of influential Sean Miller, pictured above.

The No10 (playing in the seven shirt) had started the game in a mask to protect a facial injury sustained in the midweek league draw against Vauxhall Motors.

He was to leave the field 11 minutes into the contest after failing to run off an ankle problem.

Dec McLoughlin, now free of suspension, was the replacement, becoming the 450th first-team player to appear competitively for Runcorn.

Linnets had already been depleted by the absence of two other key men - injured right back Joe Ferguson and left winger Naim Arsan, who was unavailable.

Harvey Washington (second from top) joins the Runcorn attack.

Harvey Washington was one of the beneficiaries, getting his first start of the campaign at centre back as Peter Wylie having moved across to cover Ferguson's absence.

It just wouldn't click for Runcorn before the interval, a tricky pitch having suggested from the outset that this tie would not be easy on the eye.

Having toiled without success, largely in the opposition half, Runcorn saw their fortunes take a turn for the better four minutes into the second half.

Linnets produced the moment of quality they had been striving for all afternoon.

Ryan Brooke advanced in possession on the left to deliver an ideal cross for Bakkor to power home a perfect header.

The same attacking combination almost produced a quick follow-up effort.

This time Bakkor's effort was saved and Doyle couldn't wrap a foot around his rebound attempt, which sailed well wide.

From the moment Linnets went ahead, there was an air of inevitability at the outcome.

A young Whitchurch outfit didn't look like a side, which genuinely believed it could get back into contention.

Midway through the half, Runcorn found the security of a second goal when the Shropshire hosts were penalised for handball inside their area.

A confident Bakkor didn't need a second invitation. He buried the spot-kick inside the right post - sending the 'keeper the wrong way.

Runcorn threatened to run amok in the last 10 minutes.

A mesmerising run into the left of the penalty box ended with Eden Gumbs, who came off the bench for his 150th Linnets outing, firing agonisingly wide after beating a handful of opposition players.

Gumbs was then denied by the thickness of the right post after being well set up by Doyle and Bakkor.

The final word fittingly went to Scott Bakkor, who crowned a man-of-the-match display by forcing home his third from close range two minutes into added time.

Doyle unselfishly squared for the scorer when he could easily have gone for goal himself.

Runcorn have now won three games from four in an unbeaten start to the campaign.

With Tuesday's league trip to Bury being postponed due to the Shakers' FA Cup replay commitments, Linnets' next game is on Friday.

Trafford visit APEC Taxis Stadiun for an NPL West match which has been brought forward from Saturday.

Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Peter Wylie, Matty Rain, Jacques Welsh, Adam Rooney, Harvey Washington, Sean Miller (Dec McLoughlin, 11 mins), Lewis Doyle, Scott Bakkor, Ryan Brooke (Eden Gumbs, 69 mins), Adam Moseley (Luke Wall, 76 mins). Subs (not used): Alex Ellams (GK), Markell Foulds, Jorge Dwyer, Joe Ferguson.

Attendance: 277.