Road to Wembley - Linnetts walk on

Our boys Runcorn Linnetts have been moving quite nicely through the rounds of the FA Cup as they look to make the final in 8 months time!

Remember in the Extra Preliminary Round they took two games to knock out our first picks AFC Liverpool, then in the Preliminary Round proper they drew away at Mossley AFC 0-0.

Runcorn: Mottram, Murphy, Fitzsimmons, Savva (Bodie, 65), Lawton, Ellison, Towey(Hardwick, 69), Holland, Prescott (Atherton, 58), Whyte (C), Pearson. Subs not used: Webb, O’Reilly, Dykes, Rigby.
Attendance: 228

Then in the replay at the sexily titled Millbank Linnetts Stadium they saw of near neighbours 4-0 and marched in to the 1st qualifying round of this year’s FA Cup with Budweiser. Two goals in each half, all coming from different players, reflected a game that they controlled throughout.

SEAN PEARSON scored the first from the spot, then KEVIN TOWEY's low shot from a tight angle took a deflection off the desperate Nick Swirad, and looped straight over Mossley ‘keeper Martin Pearson into the roof of the net for the second.

Just after the break CHRIS DYKES was rewarded for his own industriousness with a simple header into an empty net. Runcorn added a fourth and it came on 77 minutes courtesy of ROB BODIE.

Runcorn: Mottram, Murphy, Fitzsimmons (O’Reilly, 84), Savva, Lawton, Ellison, Towey (Webb, 78), Dykes (Bodie, 69), Atherton, Whyte (C), Pearson. Subs not used: Holland, Hewitt, Park
Attendance: 269

The reward was a trip to Blackpool to play Squires Gate in the 1st Qualifying Round.

Despite being outplayed for long periods the Linnetts hung on bravely despite hanging by the thinnest of threads, which included a penalty save by Mottram in the Runcorn goal. The Road to Wembley for the Linnets is proving to be a long and winding one as, for the third time this season, they needed a replay if they were to progress but the hoards of travelling Runcorn fans would have enjoyed the replay....

Runcorn: Mottram, Murphy, Fitzsimmons, Bodie, Lawton, Ellison (Webb, 81), Towey (Prescott, 61), Holland, Atherton (Black, 80), Whyte (C), Pearson. Subs not used: O’Reilly, Park, Dykes.
Attendance: 179

.... because in an exciting and close game ROB WHYTE flicked in a second half cross and their prize is another away trip, this time to Tyne & Wear to play Hebburn Town, who play in Division 2 of the Northern League (one level down in the football pyramid from Runcorn).

Meanwhile the Linnetts are the last NW Counties League team left in this years FA Cup. The tie takes place on Saturday at Hebburn Sports & Social Ground.