LINNETS Ladies maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the Cheshire Women’s League season with a sixth straight win.

The Millank Linnets Stadium hosts had a number of influential players unavailable, before the late withdrawals of Lorna Bratt, through illness, and Kim Roberts. This left the only one recognised striker and a lack of wide midfield cover.

However, top scorer Megan Pickering grabbed the first of her four goals after seven minutes, Mandy Kennedy having won the ball in midfield and provided an inch-perfect pass.

The lead was doubled on 12 minutes, 17-year-old player of the match Mary Rossiter Gurrell winning a 50/50 challenge wide left to stretch the visitors’ midfield and pull the defence out of position.

Tempany Carlson, on the opposite wing, was denied by the crossbar while Rossiter-Gurrell also went close before combining with Kennedy to set up Pickering’s hat-trick strike – an unstoppable angled shot on the turn.

AFC forced three successive corners, the third after excellent and fearless defending from Sadie Bond.

But the Linnets Ladies’ fourth goal finally came. Nichola Hyland started the move from right back with Kennedy freeing Pickering to take on the ‘keeper and slot home.

Early in the second half, Tish Collins had the ball in the net but the referee brought play back for a foul on the scorer.

From this point, the home side looked laboured, allowing AFC a lot of the ball. But ‘keeper Nat Pinnington stayed alert.

Despite the injured Pickering being forced off after 75 minutes, Runcorn added a fifth in the 82nd minute, Kennedy arriving unmarked to volley in from 10 yards. A fourth campaign clean sheet kept Linnets Ladies two points clear ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wytenshawe Amateurs (2pm).

Linnets Ladies: Pinnington (capt), Riley (Hymas), Bond, Collins, Hyland, Rossiter-Gurrell, Penny, Kennedy, Evans, Pickering (Zalavari), Carlson. Sub not used: Dunbebin.