The Dabbers host league football at the Swansway Stadium for the first time since 26th August on Tuesday night, as we welcome Runcorn Linnets.
Just a Linnet
After a play-off finish in this league last season, Runcorn are a little bit off that this term, sitting 11th in the league on 7 points. However, like the Dabbers they have 1 or 2 games in hand over all the teams ahead of them due to cup involvements. If they were to hypothetically win both of those, they would be 2nd.
They’ve only lost once in their last 8 games in all competitions, and that was in an FA Cup replay to National League North side Chorley. After several high scoring games earlier in the season, things have settled slightly, and Runcorn haven’t scored more than once in their last 5 outings, only keeping their first league clean sheet in their last match but one against Stalybridge. They drew 1-1 with Hednesford away in their most recent game.
Last Time Out
The Dabbers and Linnets have only met once before since their formation in 2006 after the demise of Runcorn FC, latterly Runcorn FC Halton. That meeting was in the Cheshire Senior Cup in January 2017, with Nantwich coming out 2-1 winners courtesy of goals from Joe Mwasile and Steve Jones, highlights below. This will be the first time they have visited the Swansway Stadium.
Players to Watch
Two of Runcorn Linnets’ top scorers will be very familiar names to Dabbers supporters. Ryan Brooke played for Nantwich in that 2016/17 season when we visited Runcorn, and Will Saxon also featured for the club between 2019 and 2020. Both have 3 goals so far, along with 2 other Linnets players, proving how much they are sharing the goals around.
In goal will be Bayleigh Passant, a shrewd signing after a couple of very successful years at Marine, the peak of which saw him keeping goal against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham in the FA Cup.
Match Information
The online tickets for this one are available HERE. The Cat will be carrying radio commentary if you can’t attend.