RUNCORN Linnets Ladies narrowly missed out on a shock victory against higher-ranked Redditch United Ladies in their final friendly but have remained unbeaten in pre-season unbeaten after a 4-4 draw at The Millbank Linnets Stadium on Sunday.

Redditch are two tiers above the Linnets – just one promotion place below the FA of Wales Premier Division - and have the strength in depth to have been able to play two matches in less than 24 hours.

The Linnets, at the same time, had several absentees, making the result all the more remarkable.

The Worcestershire outfit took the lead in the 11th minute against the run of play but Runcorn on another day could quite easily have been three if not four goals up by then.

In Beth Coppin, the defending champions have a striker who will take the Cheshire Women's League Division One by storm this season. The youngster was on the end of so many chances and while this was not her day, she will punish somebody and punish them badly if she continues to play the way she is.

The Linnets responded with a Megan Pickering equaliser in the 13th minute but fell behind two minutes later to a goal scored from a ball over the top.

Runcorn looked out of sorts in the first half and could quite easily have conceded more. They got back into the game in the 20th minute when Tempany Carlson produced her speciality straight from a corner for the equalising goal.

Whatever manager John Pickering said at half time, it did the trick. The Linnets responded with crisper passing, better tackling and they closed the ball down earlier - although they were still prone to the diagonal ball behind the full backs.

By the 56th minute, Megan Pickering had scored twice more in between further missed chances, the Linnets might well have wrapped the game up by then.

But Redditch too were guilty of several missed opportunities and they played some really beautiful football.

Teams from a higher division will never give up. Combine that with superior fitness, and the visitors went on to punish a mistake in the 78th minute before striking at the death in the 89th minute.

This was quite clearly not the best Linnets pre-season performance but if you can come so close to beating a team from a higher division while not playing well yourselves, this team must think what could be achieved if you maximise the full potential.

Two things particularly worthy of note – firstly, the moment Beth Coppin, sandwiched between defenders, knocked all three out of the way with her strength and determination; all it needed was the finish.

The other mention goes to Lile Ashley who put in a great spell of tackling. The left winger had only arrived at Manchester Airport late morning from the USA and made her way direct to the ground to play. Now that's commitment!

Runcorn Linnets: Nat Pinnington, Mary Rossiter Gurrell, Emma McLarney, Sadie Bond, Gabby Evans, Beth Graham, Mandy Kennedy, Chelsea Gillies, Tempany Carlson, Beth Coppin, Megan Pickering. Subs: Nichola Hyland, Lile Ashley, Jade Green, Beccie Woods-Hughes, Steph Woods-Hughes.