THE most eagerly-anticipated game of the NWCL Premier Division season so far took place at the Millbank Linnets Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with the final scoreline belying the tight gap between Linnets and Colne at the top of the table.

It was a day when the league’s meanest defence in Runcorn Linnets came up against one of its most free-scoring sides in Colne, whose front two of Boyle and Hart have a staggering 30 campaign league goals between them in only 17 games.

Runcorn could not have found a better way to post their 200th league victory since formation in 2006.

It was remarkable that this game even took place; the MLS pitch had held up to the overnight rain very well, but a downpour that never relented all day put the game in serious doubt.

However, the match referee’s decision to play was proved correct as the pitch stood the test incredibly well, barely cutting up and providing a surface that defied its position as a pitch in the fifth tier of non-league football.

Huge credit must be given to all involved with pitch maintenance and preparation at Linnets.

The only other fixture played in either division of the NWCL was over the bridge on the artificial surface in Widnes although Alsager Town managed to stage their tie in the FA Vase.

It was great to see a good following from Colne, many of them decked out in light-up Christmas hats and crammed into one of the small covers near the dugouts. It made for a great atmosphere when the singing competition with Linnets own Left Side Ultras began just before kick-off.

The Linnets started with the same 11 that had turned in a good performance a week earlier at Maine Road.

The game started at a thunderous pace, Linnets struggling to get a foothold as Colne looked the more threatening.

Leading scorer Danny Boyle had the ball in the Linnets’ net with 15 minutes gone, but a linesman's flag brought a quick halt to the celebrations. Shortly after, the impressive Jason Hart, who spent much of his time out left, cut inside to send goalwards a curling effort that had Dean Porter beaten. But it rebounded off the foot of an upright and rolled out for Mike White to clear.

A few more half-chances, along with a seemingly endless run of offside decisions against Colne, were the tone of the first 30 minutes. Then the Linnets, having taken what the visitors had thrown at them with some discomfort if not desperation, started to find their way.

Chris Thompson made a good save to deny Mark Houghton from outside the box, then Kurt Sherlock’s 25-yard drive crashed into the crossbar with Thompson beaten. Sherlock was looking the most likely Linnet to unlock Colne’s defence and Thompson did very well to dive at Antony Hickey’s feet to intercept a dangerous cross from Kurt, preventing what would have been the opening goal.

However with the next attack a couple of minute later, Linnets did take the lead in almost identical circumstances.

The play switched at speed from left wing to right where Sherlock found himself with space to run and attack Lee Pugh, Colne’s left back. When he got round him, the attacking midfielder delivered a superb, low cross to the front post where Hickey volleyed in first time.

If Colne felt disappointed to be behind, on 40 minutes, they would soon find themselves facing a difficult second half as Linnets scored a second on the stroke of the interval.

A free-kick on the right was swung in deep to Freddie Potter, who found himself unmarked near the far post to steer a great header across the face of goal for Hickey so slide in and double the Linnets lead.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were always going to be crucial and you felt that had Colne nicked a goal in that time, an onslaught would have ensued. But other than a half-hearted penalty shout for a coming together between Boyle and River Humphreys and a Boyle effort that Porter turned around a post, Colne were surprisingly subdued in the second half.

It was Linnets who dominated from the off. A few half-chances came and went before Kurt Sherlock again found himself in space on the right to deliver a curling pin-point cross into the run of Freddie Potter, who headed home the Linnets’ third - sparking wild celebration both on and off the field.

Five minutes later, and out of nowhere, Colne were reduced to 10 men, centre back Marc Young given a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Kyle Hamid. It was perhaps a moment of understandable frustration in what had been a very clean encounter, both teams probably realising that throwing in tackles on such a wet surface could end up in serious injury.

This ended the game as a contest and spurred the Linnets on to seek more goals as opposed to closing it out peacefully. Mark Houghton went close again when he cut in from the left to hit a low shot that had Thompson beaten but rolled inches.

When Another shot from the same Runcorn player was only half cleared by Colne’s defence, Kyle Hamid was lurking on the penalty spot and returned the ball with interest into the bottom corner to Thompson's right - giving the Linnets a 4-0 lead.

Both teams made substitutions as legs understandably tired on such a heavy surface and, with momentum lost by both sides, the Linnets cruised to the final whistle - maintaining their clean sheet with minimal fuss. A welcome bonus against a side, who have this season failed to score only twice.

This was a very impressive result and performance from the Linnets and one that sees them move to first place in the league table. Having coped well with the inevitable early onslught from Colne, they bossed the game after the half hour mark.

While Colne will feel that the would have been good value for a goal or two, Linnets put on a devastating display of finishing and could have had a couple more.

The only negative on the day for Linnets was River Humphreys being carried off injured following a trademark crushing block by the home central defender. Hopefully, it won’t prove to be serious and River’s absence will be a short one.

Colne are going to win a lot of games this season, and it’s my belief that if you finish above them at the end of April, you will have won the league. This result takes a bit of the pace out of their early control of the league table and opens things up nicely for any of the top six to put a few wins together over the Christmas period and stake a claim for top spot.

Runcorn Linnets: Dean Porter, Kieron Brislen, Matt Atherton, River Humphreys, Michael White, Michael Ellison (capt), Mark Houghton, Kyle Hamid, Freddie Potter Kurt Sherlock. Subs: Kyle Armstrong, Michael Simpson, Kevin Leadbetter. Subs (not used): Taylor Kennerley. Francis Smith.

Colne: Chris Thompson, Benjamin Hoskin, Lee Pugh, Alexander Coleman, Marc Young, Simon Nangle (capt), Spencer Jordan, Christopher Anderson, Jason Hart, Daniel Boyle, Michael Morrison. Subs: Kieran Demaine, Thomas Berwick, Nathan Bond, Edward Williams, Kenneth Taylor.

Attendance: 337.