Runcorn Town FC Official Website - Pilkington F.C Match Report

A strong Runcorn Town reserves travelled to St Helens to face Pilkington F.C and returned to Runcorn with a creditable 2-2 draw against a side from a higher league.

Karl Kneale, Rob Gorry and last seasons top scorer Aarron Stafford all returned as Town really begin to get prepared for life in the Cheshire League.

It has to be said that the match was played on an old style Astroturf which was not ideal but Town quickly got into there now customary passing game and were taking the game to the home team right from the off.

Alex Tringham starting at left back was linking up well with Paul Illidge down the left, as was Rob Gorry in at right back with Jack Burbidge down the right, and when Gorry found Burbidge with a neat through ball, Burbidge beat his marker before picking out Ged Bushell on the edge of the penalty area. Bushell then produced a perfect back heel into the path of the onrushing Aarron Stafford who was felled by the centre half as he was about to get off his shot.

The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty with no arguments from the home side, with Stafford got up to take the spot kick and gave Town a deserved lead firing low into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Pilkingtons rallied and Kneale was on hand to deny a clear goal scoring opportunity with a perfectly timed last ditch tackle and only a couple of minutes later it was keeper Carl Williams who denied the home team an equaliser diving low to his right to prevent a point blank goal bound strike by the home centre forward.

Then came the move of the match with Kneale, having dispossessed an opponent, hitting a sumptuous 50 yard right to left cross field pass into the path of Paul Illidge, and without breaking stride, Illidge crossed to Burbidge on the right. Burbidge took one touch to get the ball out of his feet and sent in a low dangerous ball which beat the keeper and was put into his own net by the home right back under pressure from Illidge who would have had a simple tap in had the defender not gone for it.

The start of the second half saw two triallists make their bow. Jason McShane, younger brother of prolific first team striker James, and Richie Hargreaves came on, with Illidge dropping into the left back slot although this didn�t last long as Illidge had to be replaced by Tringham at the insistence of the referee.

It wasn�t long before the home team were level and to be fair what a good finish it was the striker pulled off onto the back stick and met a deep cross on the volley giving Williams no chance. It was game on and the home team had their tails up now and were starting to really trouble the Town defence.

All their efforts were repaid when an almost identical goal was scored by the other Pilks striker, although this time the goal should not have stood as he was clearly a good five yards offside having being caught in the offside trap of the Town defence who had moved up quickly to catch him.

However he had the assistance of the referee who allowed the goal to stand much to the annoyance of the Town back line. After this both teams could have snatched a winner with Burbidge, Stafford and a Mike Chesters free kick all going agonisingly close and at the other end Williams pulling off a tremendous one handed save to deny a goal bound effort from the home teams centre midfielder.

We would like to thank Pikington F.C for hosting the game and wish them well for the coming season.

This match report represents the views of the author and not particularly that of Runcorn Town FC.