RUNCORN Linnets, well beaten 3-0 at Barnton on Saturday in the last of their six pre-season friendlies, will want to quickly erase the memory of a disappointing 90 minutes against their near neighbours from North West Counties League Division One.

What has become a regular warm-up fixture for the Linnets proved typically taxing against hosts starting with six former Runcorn players (including three who had transferred only this summer in centre back Mike Burke, winger Chris Lomax and striker Kev Towey) before adding a seventh off the bench.

It was a player with Linnets connections from the club's beginnings who helped set Barnton on their way.

Colin Quirk, a skillful midfield player in the Runcorn team which won promotion in their 2006-07 season of formation – now Barnton's skipper and player-coach - threaded the ball through for Jason McShane to open the scoring inside the opening seconds.

The goal stemmed from Runcorn being caught out through giving up possession centrally, deep inside their own half.

This is a trait which has punctuated the team's preparations for the NWCL Premier Division season and one that Joey Dunn will want to see disappear when the NWCL Premier Division gets under way this Saturday .

It was a setback from which the visitors never recovered. Things might have been different had Kurt Sherlock not blazed over from point-blank range after good work from newcomer Jamie Buckley, who was full of energy at left back. It also didn't help that Mark Houghton was forced off through injury early on.

This was the first time this Runcorn's defence had played together and it showed. Barnton newcomer George Lomax, brother of Chris, doubled the hosts' score after centre back Danny Meadowcroft had got his head to Quirk's corner.

A two-goal lead at the interval did not flatter the Villagers, who could easily have had more.

Runcorn went on to dominate much of the second half in terms of possession and territory without posing any real problems for 'keeper Adam Judge, who was also joined in the Barnton ranks by three ex-Linnets full-backs - Andy Mawdsley and Joe Fielding plus substitute Matt Rigby.

The away side were without the attacking power of Freddie Potter, missing through working commitments, with new centre forward signing Ben Halfacre also unavailable.

A forgettable afternoon for Runcorn was completed when Sean Tuck dived to head home a cross from Tony Wynne in the 75th.

Barnton have recently taken big strides both on and off the field and, on this form, look set for a promotion push in the forthcoming season.

Linnets will wish the Villagers well in their quest while hoping their own performance will prove the exception instead of the rule. Certainly, Runcorn were unrecognisable from the team which had soundly beaten National League North side Stalybridge 3-1 at home less than 48 hours earlier.