RUNCORN Linnets rose above the frustration of conceding a deflected equaliser to overcome Mossley 2-1 at the Millbank Linnets Stadium on Saturday.

Fielding arguably their strongest line-up of pre-season so far yet still missing a few regular players, Joey Dunn's side won the game with a soaring header from trialist striker Ben Halfacre in the 71st minute.

The Linnets had gone ahead thanks to a well-placed shot from Freddie Potter in the 13th minute and were given few problems in the first half by Mossley, a typically strong and robust Evo-Stik League outfit.

After the break, momentum was lost through a series of changes from both sides and some meaty challenges left the game on the edge for a while – the referee asking the managers to substitute a player each for 10 minutes to allow frayed tempers to calm.

Mossley did most of the pressing after the break with Runcorn standing up well to the increased threat. However, shortly after a Mossley defender had come close with a header which just cleared the bar, the equaliser arrived.

Linnets skipper Michael Ellison, still suffering the effects of taking a heavy knock, lost the ball centrally just outside his own box.

Mossley worked the ball to the left of the area from where a shot took an unfortunate deflection, wrong footing 'keeper Krystian Burzynski, who was guesting from Nantwich Town with Linnets No1 Richie Mottram unavailable.

Burzynski, despite getting a hand to the shot, couldn't keep out the low effort into the left corner from Brian Matthews, a persistent thorn in Linnets' side even in his earlier spells at Winsford United and Congleton Town.

Despite relinquishing their lead, Runcorn refused to buckle at the pressure from opponents a division higher. The Linnets' winner came from a teasing right-wing Kyle Hamid cross, which was well streered home by the giant Halfacre, formerly of the now defunct Stockport Sports and also Congleton and Glossop North End, for his second pre-season goal for the Linnets.

With left-sided players Jamie Buckley and longest servant Matt Atherton notable absentees, Linnets had started with a Mossley player at left back. However, the loanee was quickly forced off by injury.

A 17-year-old trialist central defender, hailing from Widnes, came on to fill the breach and gave an excellent account of himself in an unfamiliar role to add to the good impression already made in earlier cameo appearances.

The teenager, Adam Donohue was signed after the match and registered with the North West Counties League club over the weekend along with striker James Robinson, who has also showed up well in pre-season.

Donohue, who has most recently been with Morecambe FC and Robinson join the latter's former AFC Liverpool team-mate Buckley, a defender, and midfielder Danny Cross (ex-Vauxhall Motors) as the newcomers so far at the MLS.

Utility player Michael Simpson and right back Danny Hand have also returned with forms also being signed by the vast majority of last season's first-team squad, runners-up in the NWCL Premier Division, and youth team graduate Taylor Kennerley.

Overall, Runcorn can feel satisfied with the win while knowing there is still the odd rough edge to be knocked off as well as decisions to be made over players before the season gets under way.

Linnets conclude their warm-up campaign at Barnton on Saturday, ko 3pm, before kicking off in the NWCL Premier Division at AFC Blackpool on Saturday, August 8th.