Runcorn Town FC Official Website - Abbey Hey Match Report

Town break Hey while the sun shines by Barry Corless.

It was a pleasant and welcome surprise to be greeted by sunshine and blue skies walking up to Runcorn Town�s inaugural Vodkat League game. Let�s face it we�ve seen more grey in the last month than the paint stores at Plymouth naval dockyard. The lucky break of having the shades on lessened the trauma of the four stewards on the gate in serious dayglo orange bibs. However, rumours of distracted Easy Jet pilots landing on Picow Farm Road are somewhat wide of the mark.

Saturday represented the culmination of 10 years of planning for committee members. The blood, sweat and tears rewarded by a thumping win and a record attendance on opening day of 113. Opening day at this level also brought its share of �ground hoppers� who travel the country visiting as many venues as possible. It certainly meant a cosmopolitan mix of accents in the clubhouse before the game.

Town took to the pitch resplendent in newly presented first team kit sponsored by Global Knowledge. Player manager Simon Burton has mostly stuck by the same group of players that has been so successful in the West Cheshire League.

Frantic is the only way to describe a first half that was a great advert for football at this level. Within four minutes Town were ahead. Simon Burton was felled around 25 yards from goal. After a World Cup of panel free uncontrollable balls, Marvin Molyneux showed he can control his by sweeping in the resulting free kick.

Town almost doubled the advantage with Tom Davies� header and Emini Adegbenro�s (Mini) left foot drive both going close in the next two minutes. Abbey Hey�s first attack of any substance resulted in James Dickinson�s header rebounding off the Town bar as he latched onto a free kick. Indeed Abbey Hey were level on 16 minutes when striker Sam Jones out muscled the Town defence before slotting confidently home.

Just two minutes later and it was a case of Groundhog Day. Simon Burton was again tripped within striking distance of goal going down like a giant redwood. �He�s done that well his whole career� said one Town committee man with a wry smile. Marvin Molyneux stepped up to repeat the dose curling around the wall and scoring via the right hand upright, a real top drawer strike. Karl Wills in the Town goal was smartly out to deny the lively Jones at the other end.

As half time approached Town put the game to bed with two goals in three minutes. Tyson Eyo broke up an Abbey Hey attack and neat play by Warren Bellew and Mini resulted in the ball arriving at the feet of James McShane who kept his cool to drive home number three. More good work by evergreen Simon Burton and another unerring finish by James McShane gave Town a 4-1 advantage to take into the break.

The proximity to Liverpool Airport allows me to report the other half time score. For the aviation freaks amongst our support EZY6578 from Madrid made the score Easy Jet 2 Ryanair 2 overhead.

After the high octane first period, the second half was predictably half paced in the August sunshine. After a quiet first half Warren Bellew got into the game after the break with a snapshot well saved and a clever through ball to McShane resulting in the Town striker hitting the side netting. Wills was called into action again on the hour. Abbey�s left back Hardy saw the Town stopper palm his shot over the bar.

With the result in no doubt, Town rang the changes with Burton and Bellew making way for Jason Carey and Will Conway. Carey came close to making an instant impact cutting in from the left before driving just past the post. Mini and Tony Wynne swapped places before Wills was alert to save one handed from a headed opportunity. Town gave their fans a going away present. Tyson Eyo playing his final game before taking up a scholarship in the US rattled in from the edge of the area with nine minutes to go.

Player Watch: After a difficult first half controlling Abbey�s Jones and Welbeck, the defence looked comfortable after the break. Tom Davies was probably the pick of the bunch. Wills made a couple of smart stops and will comfortably be one of the best keepers at this level. James McShane was a handful all day and a constant threat providing the perfect foil to the player managers more rugged style. Warren Bellew has had and will have more successful days but contributed with more success after the break. Mini, a pre game injury worry, showed well in the first half and would have been rewarded with a goal on another day. Today special mention must go to the two lads in the middle. Tyson and Marvin were outstanding and pretty much all of Town�s best play started or ended with them.

MOM...for the two goals and non stop running...MARVIN MOLYNEUX

Ref Watch: Mr Goodwin-Davey got in on the act with a very fetching pair of electric blue trainers. In fairness, he handled the game well and kept his cards in his pocket.

My two penneth: Abbey are better than the score suggests. A young keeper didn�t help them for at least two of the goals but Town were worthy winners and had more goals in the locker if needed.

More success combined with a fan friendly atmosphere will surely see them go from strength to strength this season.

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