LINNETS Ladies cruised into the first round of the Cheshire FA Ladies Cup after an emphatic 20-1 home win over Neston Nomads Ladies.

Megan Pickering scored eight goals and strike partner Marcia Jones-Sacharewicz five, despite playing for only 67 and 45 minutes, respectively.

The overall performance was excellent, however, some of the passing top quality and player movement on and off the ball first rate,

With a top-of-the-table Cheshire Women’s League game, also at The Millbank Linnets Stadium, coming up this Sunday (November 29th), ko 2pm, Linnets could have been forgiven if they had fielded a weakened team.

They had already notched 20 goals against the Nomads in the league, four weeks earlier.

But taking the cup competition seriously, manager Julie Makin and coach John Pickering sent out a strong side knowing a win would pair the Linnets up against higher league opposition in the next round. Warrington Wolverines will now entertain Runcorn in January.

From the very first whistle, the Ladies side were in total control, camped in the visitors’ half - having led from the fourth minute when Steph Hamel intercepted a poor goal kick, taking the chance early with looping shot.

Chelsea Penny and Sarah Felton, the latter playing for the first time at the Millbank Linnets Stadium ran the midfield, supported by player of the game Tempany Carlson wide right and Hamel down the left.

Once Jones-Sacharewicz had doubled the advantage on 14 minutes, Hamil and Felton orchestrating the move, the floodgates opened.

Jones-Sacharewicz’s 16th-minute second for 3-0 came on the rebound from Tish Collins’ shot after a superb Carlson corner. The scorer completed her hat-trick three minutes later, intercepting a goal kick and bypassing a defender for 4-0.

Hamel initiated the attack from which Megan Pickering added the Linnets’ fifth after a superb exchange of passes with Carlson.

Felton (26 mins) from long range, Pickering three minutes later with a header and two solo efforts from Jones-Sacharewicz, taking her match haul to five goals, made it 9-0 after 33 minutes.

Only the crossbar denied Carlson but Penny collected the clearance for Jones-Sacharewicz to find Pickering with time and space to make it 10-0. Winger Penny, who would also strike the bar before half-time, seized on a searching cross field pass by Penny to centre first time for Pickering to sidefoot home for the 11th and final goal of the half.

Jones-Sacharewicz made way for Kim Roberts at the break but Linnets stayed on the offensive.

Carlson struck first on 51 minutes after good play by Felton in carrying the ball from midfield to find Pickering, who promptly scored again at the second attempt from good movement down the right by Roberts.

Pickering soon completed her double hat-trick (55 mins) Penny releasing the prolific striker for a 1v1 with the keeper and 14-0.

Gabby Evans came on in a straight swop for centre back Lorna Bratt (57 mins). Six minutes later, Pickering made it 15-0, the ball breaking kindly after Penny had sent Carlson into a straight race with the ’keeper.

Pickering grabbed her eighth goal (65 mins) for 16-0, before making way for Georgie Turton.

Neston at times played neat football, but didn’t have the quality to retain possession long enough to apply real pressure. However the biggest cheer went up in the 66th minute, the visitors’ endeavours being rewarded with a goal of their own. Home ’keeper Dunbebin, attempting to deal with a long ball, hit the legs of a Neston striker with a clearance kick that rebounded in.

Turton scored her maiden Linnets goal in the 69th minute; Hamel made it 18-1 (75 mins); Penny finally got her rewards in the 81st minute from 18 yards and Carlson completed the rout with eight minutes left.

Runcorn Linnets Linnets: Dunbebin, Rossiter-Gurrell, Collins, Bratt (Evans), Hyland, Hamel, Felton, Penny, Carlson, Jones-Sacharewicz (Roberts), Pickering (Turton)

Subs not used. Natalie Pinnington, Evelin Zalavari.