The Linnets returned from their longest journey of the NWCL season with their 12th victory from 15 away outings after a match starting in strong winds and ending with heavy storms, by Ste Bignall

Usually a solid all-round team, Silsden are probably the surprise strugglers of the league this season and were lying third from bottom at kick-off.

However, Joey Dunn's men were not going to take lightly a side that they had beaten only 2-1 at home thanks to a '97th-minute' Matty Atherton winner on Non-League Day earlier in the campaign.

As football grounds go, they don't get much prettier or scenic than the Angels Telecom Stadium.

It is surrounded on all sides by stunning Yorkshire dales, so if the entertainment on the pitch is ever leaving something to be desired, you definitely won't get bored of the views.

The only down side is the openness of the ground which often leads to swirling winds, and my word were they swirling today! It was going to be a tough afternoon!

Dunn made two changes to the team that had started against West Didsbury & Chorlton a week ago, with Freddie Potter and Kurt Sherlock back in the starting eleven.

The game started at a high pace with Silsden sending out the message that they weren't here to simply hand three points over to the league leaders. In fact, Silsden should have taken the lead on five minutes when a glorious chance was somehow spurned.

Wademan turned Matty Atherton inside out before his wind-affected cross took Dean Porter out of the game and fell to an unmarked Silsden player, who was faced with an empty net six yards out. But his tame effort was scraped clear by Kieron Brislen from the goal line.

This was a wake-up call for Linnets who went on to create chances of their own, River Humphreys heading a corner over when well placed and Ryan Cox falling an inch short when sliding in towards Simpson's cross.

Both sides were denied clear penalties, Cox and the lively Wademan bundled down in opposing penalty areas with the officials not interested. As half-time approached, the Linnets took an arguably undeserved lead.

Fate intervened as the referee ordered Kurt Sherlock to take a corner from the opposite side to where Kurt had been heading, and he drilled in a marvellous ball that Mike White connected with perfectly to head in the opener from around the penalty spot - the pace on the effort giving Silsden's keeper no chance.

The men in yellow and green had their own stopper Dean Porter to thank as Silsden almost equalised on the stroke of half-time. Cutting inside from the right wing, a fierce shot was sent across goal that Porter tipped onto far post with his fingertips - the ball then rolling along the goal line and back into Porter's grateful arms.

The wind turned into gales as the second half began and the weather was to become a severely-hampering factor for both sides. Linnets got the crucial second goal soon after the restart. Kurt Sherlock was hacked down on the left wing and he got up to fire a free-kick into the box.

Freddie Potter flew in with a diving header to give some breathing space for Dunn's troops.

Linnets were in total control of the second period and the third goal arrived on 70 minutes.

Ryan Cox chased down Kyle Hamid's ball over the top and squared to Potter whose initial shot was blocked, but the rebound went straight back to the big forward to chip a beauty over the keeper, helped by a deflection, to seal the points for the Cheshire side.

Silsden rallied with their Premier Division survival at stake and made the final 15 minutes interesting when Hancock picked up the ball on the right and unleashed a wind-assisted thunderbolt that no 'keeper was ever going to save.

Despite this, it was Linnets who should have added to the score, Potter going close to completing his hat-trick and Ryan Cox knocking wide of an open net after being unselfishly set up by Mike Simpson, who had danced past three players on his way into the box.

Fifteen minutes of monsoon weather arrived to make the final furlong uncomfortable for both sets of players. Mark Houghton and Anthony Hickey were both given cameo appearances from the bench before the referee brought the game to a welcome close.

A good, solid three points in trying conditions for the Linnets. Pleasing facts are that we would have been good value for five or six goals and it took a 'worldie' to beat our defence that otherwise rarely looked troubled in the second half.

Silsden: Edward Hill, Jack Brooks, Ryan Cattermole, Kyle Harrison, Roberto Boneminio, Joseph Mitchell, Kyle Hancock, Andrew Hill, Daniel Forrest, Christopher Wademan, Daniel McNulty. Subs: Josh Kaine, Daniel Thorpe, Matthew Kershaw, James Longley, Thomas Henderson.

Runcorn Linnets: Dean Porter, Kieron Brislen, Matt Atherton, River Humphreys, Michael White, Michael Ellison, Michael Simpson, Kyle Hamid, Freddie Potter, Ryan Cox, Kurt Sherlock. Subs: Antony Hickey, Mark Houghton. Not used: Steve Jones, Tom Hardwick, Kyle Armstrong.

Attendance: 198.