Runcorn Town FC Official Website - Rudheath Social Match Report

Town Res were up against the early league leaders Rudheath Social, who had opened with two wins from two and the early exchanges showed why they had, had the early successes for they were well organised and showed plenty of attacking threat but the town defence of David Ginever, David Graven, Karl Kneale and Alex Tringham were in no mood to surrender an early goal, in fact they started to take a firm hold and were releasing the midfield quartet of Jack Burbidge, Jason McShane, Kev Hammond and Paul Illidge with increasing regularity such was Towns dominance that Rudheath were forced to change to a five man midfield in an attempt to thwart the increasing threat, though Town still maintained the upper hand, Paul Illidge was twice released down the left, hitting two good efforts which Allen in the Rudheath goal did well to stop, Town almost opened the scoring following a fine flowing move which involved both strikers Jon McEvoy and Scott (Swizz) Swales and eventually saw Burbidge put in a great cross from the right which Swizz rose to meet, his header beating the keeper but coming back off the crossbar to deny him a fine home debut goal, Then Jason McShane repeated the feat this time with an acrobatic volley the shot this time clipping the bar before going out for a goal kick, final action of the half saw Burbidge almost add to his impressive start of a goal a game, the winger firing just wide after the best passing move of the day left him in on goal.
The second half was a continuation of the first half and the pressure finally told a Hammond corner to the back stick was expertly headed back into the danger zone by Graven, Kneale headed goalward but the effort was blocked and broke to Burbidge who played the ball back into the box where Ginever pounced, swivelling to fire in at the near post.
Only minutes later Williams in the home goal had to be at his best to deny a thunderbolt drive the keeper getting enough on the ball to deflect the shot on to the bar and out, Town then felt hard done by when following another Hammond corner there followed a frantic goalmouth scramble which clearly saw a Rudheath player handle a goalbound attempt the referee waved away the claims but later admitted that he had been unsighted by the number of players in the area at the time, Town were pressing to add to there lead and McEvoy had a good shot deflected out from a corner, from the resultant corner Kneale rose highest but couldn�t get his header on target, Town then conceded a sloppy goal following a clearance from a corner they failed to close down Jack Bryning the Rudheath number 11 had time to pick his spot and did just that, to level the score, Swizz then spun on the edge of the area leaving the defender for dead but instead of shooting tried to tee up stike partner McEvoy with a defender making a block to deny the striker then with only minutes remaining Rob Colquitt who had replaced Burbidge streaked onto a fine through ball from McEvoy and hit a good angled right foot shot which just skimmed the outside of the far post, so the game ended with honours even though on the balance of play it was Towns turn to feel that this was a missed opportunity just like Crewe must have done Last week.

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