LONG-SERVING Matt Atherton’s stoppage-time clincher in a 2-1 victory over Silsden added the finishing touch to a successful Non-League Day for Runcorn Linnets.

The North West Counties League Premier Division outfit’s record appearance holder, now playing at left-back after serving the Linnets mostly on the wing but also as a central striker and even in an emergency goalkeeping role, richly rewarded his club’s efforts to pull in extra fans for the annual celebration of semi-pro and amateur football.

The Linnets had offered half-price adult admission of £3 to season-ticket holders of Premier League and Championship clubs, whose own teams were without games due to an international break, and extended the same deal to those with season tickets for professional Rugby League clubs and members of the Armed Forces.

The attendance of 342 was 11.4% up on the Linnets’ hitherto average ‘gate’ for the season of 307 and a 42.5% improvement on the average turnout of 240 for the visits of the same opponents in the previous four seasons - although the fixture had seen larger crowds year on year from 208 in 2011-12 to 288 in 2014-15.

Represented on the terraces were season-ticket holders (and other regular supporters) of Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa plus RL season-ticket holders from Widnes Vikings and St Helens.

One youngster on whom the day clearly made a lasting impression is 11-year-old Ben Nuttall. A first-year secondary pupil at The Grange School, Runcorn, Ben was immediately struck by the interaction Non-League fans enjoy with club officials and players.

A Manchester United season-ticket holder, he attended the game with his uncle Ste Bignall, who has a strong family allegiance to the Linnets.

Ste’s brother Mike and Mike’s son Sam are also keen supporters with Sam being mascot for Linnets recent home game against Lairds – on his 10th birthday.

At just 16 months old, Ste’s daughter Annie is already something of a regular at Linnets matches.

Ste said: “This was Ben’s first Linnets game and he will definitely be coming again – he loved it and has shown a real interest in the club already.”

The club presented Ben with a Linnets ball along and a yellow and green scarf to mark his “debut”.

Ste added: “Ben was impressed that he got to speak to a club chairman (Linnets’ Derek Greenwood) and has been showing off his ball and scarf on his Instagram account!

“He also started training with Linnets under 12s in the week; he is a goalie. He was made up that he got to ‘high five’ the players before and after the game. That was one of his favourite bits!”

With three goals (another Runcorn effort being controversially disallowed), two dismissals and an open-goal miss for the nine-man visitors shortly before Atherton’s dramatic winner – his first goal of the campaign - there was no shortage of things to discuss over a post-match drink or while journeying home.

Just as much of a talking point were the delicious cup and fairy cakes provided for the occasion by S&B Pets of Widnes to mark their sponsorship of the first ever Non-League Day match at The Millbank Linnets Stadium.

Kim Hughes and Tracy Ryder from the store in Widnes Market had specially baked the cakes on the day of the game and they certainly went down well with spectators.

Runcorn’s 10th win in 12 league games took them to 30 points for the season and kept the Linnets in second place, two points behind leaders Colne with a game in hand.

Linnets chairman Derek Greenwood said: “Our old friends from Silsden are always welcome at The Millbank Linnets Stadium and we were also pleased to see a good many new faces coming through the turnstiles.

“Although the game was a bit of a nerve jangler to say the least and perhaps better suited to the neutral rather than the committed, we managed to grab an important victory in the end!

“It was good to see scarves, flags and colours of our illustrious neighbours mingled in with our own and those of Silsden and while, as ever, thanking our regular fans for their continued and valued support, we hope that those visiting us for the first time will be encouraged to return whenever they have a spare date or opportunity in the future.”