By Liam Price
Nantwich Town secured a strong point away at Runcorn Linnets on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at the APEC Taxis Stadium.
In strong winds and what turned into torrential rain, the home side largely controlled things in the first half in this match up between 2 of the form sides in the NPL West.
After a few early skirmishes, the biggest chance of the first half came when Sean Miller burst through into the Dabbers box and saw his low shot ery well saved by Ben Garratt who spread himself superbly.
In the second half, the pattern of Runcorn control was spectacularly broken, but not before Paddy Kennedy managed to clear a shot off the line in a goalmouth scramble in the Nantwich 6-yard box.
A couple of minutes later, a smart Dabbers move progressed down the right. Alex Panter and Aidy Roxburgh traded passes, with Roxburgh then squaring the ball to Joe Collins who hit it first time looping into the top corner. A magnificent first Nantwich goal for Collins who celebrated wildly and rightly so.
Jordan Hodkin hit the side netting as Nantwich pressed on and carried out another slick move on the counter.
Nantwich were holding out very well but Runcorn began to up the pressure and it paid off in the last 10 minutes.
A deep cross into the Nantwich box ended up unintentionally bouncing off Paddy Kennedy and into the path of Ryan Brooke who fired high into the net from a narrow angle.
Teams
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Joseph Ferguson, Naim Arsan, Jacques Welsh (C), Peter Wylie, Steve Irwin (Ryan Brooke, 69), Harry McGee (Elliot Rokka, 62), Isaac Graham (Declan McLoughlin, 82), Scott Bakkor, Sean Miller, James Steele (Lewis Doyle, 69)
Sub not used: Adam Rooney
Goal: Brooke (84)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, James Baillie, Joe Collins, Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Alex Panter, Joel Connolly (C), Byron Harrison, Paddy Jarrett (Callum Saunders, 59), Byron Moore (Jordan Hodkin, 59)
Subs not used: Joe Robbins, Reece Vaughan, Harry Bower
Goal: Collins (58)
Attendance: 620