Runcorn Linnets 0 Ashton Athletic 2
Vodkat League Premier Division
At: Millbank Linnets Stadium
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: £5; Programme: £1-50 (28 pages)
Attendance: 294
Weather: mild, dry
Duration: first-half: 46:12; second-half: 48:00
Today was one of those umming and arring about whether to head for a match this evening, especially as I’d declared, after the two trips to Devon last week, that I wouldn’t complain if the car didn’t leave Stafford between arriving home from Coventry last Saturday until leaving for Milton Keynes this coming Saturday. But at around 3 pm, after looking at the dates of Runcorn Linnets’s forthcoming midweek fixtures, temptation got the better of me and I made up my mind for a trip up the M6. My message to the club got a speedy reply from Press Officer Steve Pritchard and I was on my way at 5-45 pm.Both clubs were down in the wrong half of the table and bottom side Ashton Athletic took home the points with first-half goals from Ben Stanford and Andy Gillespie.
Runcorn Linnets (yellow and green hoops / green/ yellow): 1. Phil Priestley, 2. Lewis Savva, 3. Chris Fitzsimmons, 4. Matthew Jones, 5. Allan Fleming, 6. Matthew Rigby, 7. David Dempsey (capt), 8. Andy Barlow, 9. Jake Ellis, 10. Richard Ratcliffe, 11. John Parry. Subs: 12. Michael Winer (for Dempsey, ht), 14. Andy McCoy (for Barlow, 64), 15. Ross Bain (not used), 16. Philip Johnson (not used), 17. Paul McNally (for Fleming, 76).
Ashton Athletic (blue/blue/blue): 1. Gary Bradshaw, 2. Jordan Hulme, 3. Ian Dickinson, 4. Chris Banasko, 5. Ian Barker, 6. Luke Charnley, 7. Andy Gillespie, 8. Sean Pearson (capt), 9. Ben Stanford, 10. Chris Brookes, 11. Matthew Carlisle. Subs: 12. Jordan Stevenson (for Stanford, 80), 14. James Gardner (not used), 15. Dave Eatock (not used), 17. Paul Eatock (not used).
Referee: A. J. Scregg.
Assistants: P. Howard and J. Simpson.
Goals:
0-1 Ben Stanford (11)
0-2 Andy Gillespie (39)
Cards:
Runcorn: Andy Barlow (YC, 63)
Ashton: Luke Charnley (YC, 41)
