HALE COMEBACK TO HALT TOWN

Runcorn Town Reserves remained top of West Cheshire League Three despite dropping two points in an entertaining game against Hale. Kick off was delayed ten minutes due to the visitors arrived late despite only coming from Hale Village, having spent an hour and half trying to get over Runcorn Bridge thanks to the phantom “roadworks” the Council imposes on us seemingly each weekend during the football season.

Hale started the brighter and passed the ball around well, obviously buoyed after their 10-1 victory last weekend, but Town almost created the better opportunities with Connor Anderson and Alan Bond both unluckily to be given offside in the first ten minutes. Hale deservedly took the lead after 12 minutes when Robbie Darlington uncharacteristically lost the ball in midfield, with John Turton playing in Andy Forshaw who fired low past Jason Orme.

Bond almost equalised on the half hour after a defender missed Anderson’s pass through, with Bond shooting just wide of the post. The equaliser came after 40 minutes with Darlington avenging his earlier error as he turned in Anderson’s corner from inside the six-yard box. Town should have gone in at half time with the lead with Peter Murphy squandering a great opportunity with a minute of the half remaining as Anderson played the ball in behind a static defence for Murphy who lobbed wide from the edge of the box.

The second half saw Hale again have much possession but Town creating the better opportunities. Town took the lead after 64 minutes when Hale were caught flat at the back again with Dave Jolley crossing low for man-of-the-match Anderson to tap home from close range. Anderson almost made it three after 71 minutes when he hit wide a near identical move from Ged Bushell’s excellent cross.

Hale’s equaliser came with nine minutes remaining when a cross from the left was headed back across goal and into the bottom left hand corner by John Turton.

Posted at 18:24 on Saturday 20th September 2008 - Viewed 277 times