Back
Tue 12 Feb 2013 · Premier Division
First TeamRuncorn Town
0
1
Runcorn come out on top .... but only just.
Garry Williams13 Feb 2013 - 15:38
Share via
Ashton's young guns turned in a performance that deserved so much more.
Runcorn Town extended their unbeaten league run to ten North West Counties League games with a hard fought and entertaining 1-0 victory at Ashton Athletic.
Runcorn manager Simon Burton showed the yellows massive respect as he named an unchanged line up from the side which overcame Rocester in the FA Vase and the visitors started in confident fashion with Paul Shanley breaking clear, Dave Moran getting down well to save his 20-yard effort pushing it wide for a corner. Runcorn went ahead from the resulting corner although the yellows managed to clear the initial danger the ball was put back into the danger area where centre half Danny Dalton headed the ball into the net at the far post.
Ashton came back into the game with youngsters Martyn Jackson, Connor Gately and the outstanding Dylan Glass causing the Town players un-told problems allowing ex-Runcorn forward Connor Anderson, who switched to the yellows in November, an early chance that saw him shooting straight at Runcorn keeper Karl Wills from the edge of the box. At the other end John Egerton shot over the bar from 20-yards and Stuart Wellstead's shot was deflected for a corner.
Runcorn had a glorious chance to double the lead in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Shanley was fouled in the box by Rob Flint when he seemed to be heading away from goal. However ex-Runcorn Linnets keeper Dave Moran expertly kept out James McShane's spot kick.
Runcorn keeper Wills then did well to turn a 25 yard shot from Justin Yun around the post for a corner, with Connor Anderson then heading over from six yards out from the resulting corner. At the other end Wellstead shot tamely at Dave Moran as he was put clear of the defence, with Ashton's young side continuing to show promise with a superb counter attack in the 35th minute resulted in Connor Gately putting in a superb cross from the left that youngster Dylan Glass just failed to get a foot to allowing Runcorn to clear the danger. It was then the turn of Justin Yun to go close with a header that the Runcorn keeper was glad to see come straight at him.
Five minutes before half time Runcorn were awarded another penalty with McShane again given the responsibility after Dave Moran was adjudged to have brought the striker down. This time he sent the yellows custodian the wrong way but put his spot kick at least two foot wide of the post.
HT 0-1
Ashton's sense that they could get something out of the game was evident at the start of the second half and they frustrated their visitors for long periods at the start of the half. Wellstead put in a cross after 65 minutes that missed everyone, then Gareth Grant somehow failed to convert a Shanley cross from a couple of yards.
The visitors should have been down to ten men as the Town number 4 Egerton first kicked out at Dylan Glass then stamped all over the youngster, the look of disbelief on the Town bench when the referee failed to red card the midfielder was evident for all to see and they rightly brought the mid-fielder straight off before he could inflict more harm on an opponent. The game was now getting stretched as the host’s went looking for the equaliser and the visitors were left to play on the counter attack, something that they are extremely good at meaning chances went begging at both ends of the pitch. From one of the counter attacks the visitors who were now getting visibly anxious with their failure to kill the yellows off should have seen another player sent off as Shanley who had already been booked for a bit of retaliation on Chris Rogers, took a dive on the edge of the box the referee raced straight over and awarded the free kick to the home side for diving but hesitated before pulling the second yellow card out which would have resulted in Shanley making the lonely walk to the dressing room, only the referee knows why he changed his mind about booking him.
The game was now being played at a frantic pace and with ten minutes to go Runcorn’s Grant manage to break clear only for the ball to run away from him. Another fine Wellstead cross was then inches away from the stretching Rob Whyte, with Whyte missing from six yards out a minute later.
Entering stoppage time Grant had another great opportunity that he somehow put wide of the post, The game ended with Runcorn surviving a huge scare as with virtually the last kick of the game. Connor Gately broke clear for Ashton and set up Connor Anderson who slotted the ball past the Runcorn keeper, with the striker helpless to watch as the ball trickled agonisingly past the left hand post after getting the slightest deflection from the Town substitute.
The lads can be proud of their efforts tonight and although they failed to collect any points they can take a lot of positives from the game and into the rest of season.
FT 0-1
Runcorn manager Simon Burton showed the yellows massive respect as he named an unchanged line up from the side which overcame Rocester in the FA Vase and the visitors started in confident fashion with Paul Shanley breaking clear, Dave Moran getting down well to save his 20-yard effort pushing it wide for a corner. Runcorn went ahead from the resulting corner although the yellows managed to clear the initial danger the ball was put back into the danger area where centre half Danny Dalton headed the ball into the net at the far post.
Ashton came back into the game with youngsters Martyn Jackson, Connor Gately and the outstanding Dylan Glass causing the Town players un-told problems allowing ex-Runcorn forward Connor Anderson, who switched to the yellows in November, an early chance that saw him shooting straight at Runcorn keeper Karl Wills from the edge of the box. At the other end John Egerton shot over the bar from 20-yards and Stuart Wellstead's shot was deflected for a corner.
Runcorn had a glorious chance to double the lead in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Shanley was fouled in the box by Rob Flint when he seemed to be heading away from goal. However ex-Runcorn Linnets keeper Dave Moran expertly kept out James McShane's spot kick.
Runcorn keeper Wills then did well to turn a 25 yard shot from Justin Yun around the post for a corner, with Connor Anderson then heading over from six yards out from the resulting corner. At the other end Wellstead shot tamely at Dave Moran as he was put clear of the defence, with Ashton's young side continuing to show promise with a superb counter attack in the 35th minute resulted in Connor Gately putting in a superb cross from the left that youngster Dylan Glass just failed to get a foot to allowing Runcorn to clear the danger. It was then the turn of Justin Yun to go close with a header that the Runcorn keeper was glad to see come straight at him.
Five minutes before half time Runcorn were awarded another penalty with McShane again given the responsibility after Dave Moran was adjudged to have brought the striker down. This time he sent the yellows custodian the wrong way but put his spot kick at least two foot wide of the post.
HT 0-1
Ashton's sense that they could get something out of the game was evident at the start of the second half and they frustrated their visitors for long periods at the start of the half. Wellstead put in a cross after 65 minutes that missed everyone, then Gareth Grant somehow failed to convert a Shanley cross from a couple of yards.
The visitors should have been down to ten men as the Town number 4 Egerton first kicked out at Dylan Glass then stamped all over the youngster, the look of disbelief on the Town bench when the referee failed to red card the midfielder was evident for all to see and they rightly brought the mid-fielder straight off before he could inflict more harm on an opponent. The game was now getting stretched as the host’s went looking for the equaliser and the visitors were left to play on the counter attack, something that they are extremely good at meaning chances went begging at both ends of the pitch. From one of the counter attacks the visitors who were now getting visibly anxious with their failure to kill the yellows off should have seen another player sent off as Shanley who had already been booked for a bit of retaliation on Chris Rogers, took a dive on the edge of the box the referee raced straight over and awarded the free kick to the home side for diving but hesitated before pulling the second yellow card out which would have resulted in Shanley making the lonely walk to the dressing room, only the referee knows why he changed his mind about booking him.
The game was now being played at a frantic pace and with ten minutes to go Runcorn’s Grant manage to break clear only for the ball to run away from him. Another fine Wellstead cross was then inches away from the stretching Rob Whyte, with Whyte missing from six yards out a minute later.
Entering stoppage time Grant had another great opportunity that he somehow put wide of the post, The game ended with Runcorn surviving a huge scare as with virtually the last kick of the game. Connor Gately broke clear for Ashton and set up Connor Anderson who slotted the ball past the Runcorn keeper, with the striker helpless to watch as the ball trickled agonisingly past the left hand post after getting the slightest deflection from the Town substitute.
The lads can be proud of their efforts tonight and although they failed to collect any points they can take a lot of positives from the game and into the rest of season.
FT 0-1
Further reading
Team Sponsors
