Runcorn Linnets 4 St Helens Town 2 (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Runcorn Linnets 4 St Helens Town 2

4:44pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in Sport

AFTER a near three-week lay-off from January’s snow bursts, Runcorn recorded their second win in four days.

They followed a midweek win at Bootle with an impressive 4-2 victory over St Helens Town.

Totally dominant in the first half, Linnets enjoyed numerous chances early on.

The breakthrough finally came from the penalty spot, as Kyle Hamid beat the St Helens keeper Novak after Ross McDowell was upended in the box.

And after Adam Judge was tested at the other end, keeping out Shaun Judge's effort, Gavin Salmon doubled Runcorn’s lead with a nicely taken goal.

On the end of Adam Wade’s through ball, his first touch took the ball away from Novak, before coolly slotting home with the second.

And five minutes later Salmon had a brace, jumping highest after Hamid’s cross to give Linnets a three-goal lead.

The final act of the half saw Philip Williams pull one back for the visitors from Chris Lomax’s cross to add a slight blemish to an almost perfect half for the hosts.

Town’s best spell of the match came after the restart and so it was slightly ironic when this was ended by Runcorn breaking away for their fourth.

Matty Atherton’s typically dangerous run led to a cross into the St Helens box which Novak only flapped to McDowell, who restored the three-goal advantage.

The second half did not bring as many chances or as much fluency but Duffy had a decent penalty shout rejected.

In the 83rd minute Judge brought down Philip Williams, namesake Shaun got the better of the Linnets keeper this time from the spot to pull one back, but this did nothing to undermine an emphatic Runcorn victory.

Runcorn: Judge, Duffy, Crowder, Cross, Tomlinson, Ellison (Simpson 90), Wade, Hamid (Kennedy 83), Salmon (Adamson 77), McDowell, Atherton.

Attendance: 233