A FABULOUS"Non-League Day" crowd of 342, swelled by Premier League and Super League fans from a variety of clubs, was treated to an epic encounter at The Millbank Linnets Stadium.

Runcorn Linnets provided a late, late show by edging out Silsden in a game that had everything you could think of (except goal-line technology!) in their continuing quest for North West Counties Football League glory.

Linnets supremo Joey Dunn had opted to field an unchanged line-up, keeping with the eleven that had won so handsomely the previous weekend at Ashton Athletic.

Striker Anthony Hickey required attention from the physio in the very first minute, but was patched up well enough to immediately latch on to a Kieron Brislen cross. Hickey's shot on the turn was blocked behind for an early Linnets corner.

Moments later, Michael White curled in a dangerous cross which took a deflection off a visiting head and crept in at the far post to give The Linnets an fifth-minute lead.

Straight away, Mark Houghton tried to make it two after chesting down and turning in one movement but his volley was well saved by Thorpe in the Silsden goal.

Jason Carey and Hickey, who were again both to look lively for the duration, combined with a neat one-two. However, the finish was scooped over.

Hickey again broke clear, to be denied by a great saving tackle from Elliott Firth, a youngster who looked composed at the heart of the Silsden defence. If things seemed ominous for the visitors, then the threat of more goals from the home side didn't materialise, and Silsden started to find their feet.

Garside and McNally combined well, only to see the resulting chance headed away by the Runcorn defence. Great resilience and a turn from Linnets skipper Michael Ellison released Carey to no avail, and when White tried to repeat his earlier feat, again shooting directly off the head of a Silsden defender, the combined effort this time missed the target and went wide for a corner.

Hickey stooped to powerfully head the set-piece just wide. The first caution of the game was shown to Silsden's Moses, before White sent in the first of many majestic crossfield attacking passes, again without any result.

Silsden's best move so far came as Moses, Garside and McNally combined dangerously, again to be kept at bay by the Linnets defensive unit. Visiting Kev Ryan cleared after great work from Mark Houghton and Hickey while Freddie Potter fired wide when Ellison's cross was only half cleared.

Runcorn Linnets still had the upper hand. Carey beat the offside trap, but drilled in too hard for Hickey, and Potter, playing in a seemingly deeper role than usual, headed on for Carey but the striker couldn't keep the ball in play.

Just before half-time Potter again was in the thick of the action, his strong header hitting the bar and bouncing down. The reactions of both sets of players and an obviously partisan crowd suggested a certain goal. The referee and unfortunately non-Russian linesman thought otherwise, and the game continued despite universal disbelief.

Silsden had a bit of a purple patch in the minutes before the break, but the Linnets went in for their half-time brew a goal to the good. Linnets goalie Dean Porter's first real action of the match came from clinging on to an Ollie Hunter cross at the start of the second period, and then the referee got flattened by a strong clearance, one of those moments that bring mirth and joy to all football fans!

On the hour, Silsden somehow contrived an equaliser after a goalmouth scramble; it looked like Mitchell's shot had hit the post and then, unfortunately for the hosts, ricocheted in off Porter's back.

Hickey saw a shot well saved, but the visitors were galvanised by their leveller and sensed a shock point if not all three. A corner was well palmed away by Porter, and then Silsden skipper Mitchell was cautioned for a bit too much "chat" - the offence possibly being considered a bit more serious by the referee as it had come on the back of a couple of fouls.

Man of the match River Humphreys popped up on the right wing in an effort to get The Linnets back in front, and then another heavy challenge from Mitchell gave the referee little option than to show a second yellow, consigning the visiting skipper to a long (and very slow) trudge towards an early bath.

Linnets substitute Michael Simpson played in Carey, who was unlucky that his clever pass into an unmarked Hickey was deflected out of the path of his strike partner. Daniel Haworth then put in an over-the-top challenge on Ellison, and a straight red left the visitors down to nine men.

White picked up an unnecessary yellow in the aftermath, the only real blot on a good performance discipline-wise for the Linnets.

Silsden, however, continued to try to find a winner. Wademan went on a one-man foray, beating two or three defenders and the goalie, before inexplicably firing over with the goal at his mercy.

Adam Hilton, fast becoming a real "impact sub", replaced skipper Ellison, and Wademan had another chance for the visiting team but, this time, Porter saved really well.

Despite these visiting attacks, The Linnets still looked the more likely. Carey saw a "goal" chalked off for offside, and then headed straight at the keeper from Matt Atherton's cross. Ben Halfacre replaced Potter, and the referee signalled five minutes of added time for The Linnets to throw everything at grabbing a winning goal.

Houghton's cross was headed wide, and Atherton's centre somehow eluded White. But Runcorn kept their shape and composure, Halfacre seeing a glancing header fall just wide, and despite the five minutes being up, they sensed one last chance given the two lengthy substitutions that had been made by the visitors. A corner was forced and fired in by Hilton. After a melee, Matt Atherton picked up the ball with his back to goal, turned smartly and rifled an unstoppable shot into the bottom right corner to send the home fans into ecstasy! The celebration was as good as the goal with Atherton setting off to The Linnets bench for mass jubilation.

The whistle sounded and although Runcorn deserved the points, Silsden cannot be discounted for their efforts and determination that made this the thrilling encounter that it was. Firth and Wademan in particular had great games for them. The Linnets continue their great league form, and manager Dunn must have been pleased with the methodical and calm way that his squad had gone about the final quarter of the game - never panicking but instead showing a real belief that a winner would come.

A great day for the fans, and an enthralling advertisement for football at this level.

Runcorn Linnets: Porter, Brislen, Atherton, Humphreys, White, Ellison, Houghton, Hamid, Potter, Carey, Hickey. Subs: Simpson, Halfacre, Hilton. (Not Used: Armstrong, Weeder).

Silsden: Thorpe, Garside, Crabtree, Mitchell, Ryan, Firth, Moses, Haworth, McNally, Wademan, Hunter. Subs: Hollindrake, Butterfield, Oyebanji. Attendance: 342.