All's Not Well For Wells As Linnets On Song

And so to the first Saturday in August and the return of football J The season's opener this time brings the magic of the FA Cup to the Millbank Linnets Stadium, with Runcorn Linnets facing Hemsworth Miners Welfare in the Extra Preliminary Round. The clubs met at the same stage last year with Hemsworth 2-1 victors at home, both sides having a man sent off.

The home club started as Highfield and Camden Tanneries Recreation Club in 1918. Renamed as Runcorn FC the Linnets won the Cheshire County League in its first season, and enjoyed a League and Cup double in 1937. In 1968 the club became founder members of the Northern Premier League, winning it twice, and the pinnacle was the Alliance Premier League title in 1982.

During the 1993/94 season the Linnets' stadium at Canal Street nearly fell apart. A perimeter wall collapsed during a cup game with Hull City, the roof blew off one stand and the main stand was destroyed by fire. This crippled the club and relegation, for the first time ever, followed.

In 2000 Canal Street was sold, with the club moving to the Halton Stadium at Widnes, and rebranding as Runcorn FC Halton. However the Linnets' precarious financial position forced a move out of the Halton Stadium, first to Southport's Haig Avenue and then to Prescot Cables' Valerie Park. Unable to pay players' wages the club finished bottom, suffered a second successive relegation and in 2006 resigned from the league and ceased activity.

Runcorn Linnets FC was formed on 28 April 2006 at the spiritual home of Canal Street in the Quayside function rooms next to the Linnets Park housing estate. The new club joined Division 2 of the North West Counties Football League and ground shared at Witton Albion's Wincham Park. The Linnets were promoted as runners up in their first season to Division 1 (now Premier Division), missing out on the title on goal difference.

The club moved to its new stadium on Murdishaw Avenue in 2010 at the end of its R2R (Return 2 Runcorn) project. The last six seasons have all seen top six finishes, including three consecutive second places - but the NWCFL Challenge Cup was won in 2013.

The visitors, Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC from the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium in Fitzwilliam, began life in 1981 following the demise of Hemsworth Colliery FC the year before. The club joined the Doncaster & District Senior League Division 3, and three successive promotions took the Wells to the Premier Division in 1988.

Hemsworth won the Premier Division Cup in 1995 and then moved to the West Riding County League. Division 1 was won in the 1996/97 season, and in 2007/08 a fourth place finish in the Premier Division was enough to earn promotion to Division 1 of the Northern Counties East League. The Wells were crowned champions in 2015/16 to rise to the NCEL Premier Division.

So on a blustery, sunny afternoon it's past the carved wooden eagle on Manchester Road, the closed Wheatsheaf pub, the shut Altrincham Shaver & Repair Centre and beyond the recently opened Da Noi restaurant, a welcome replacement for the execrable Champz (Chumpz ?) bar. A glorious floral display at Denzell Gardens takes me to the M56 where a pile up on the opposite carriageway sees tailbacks as far as the Stretton Fox.

Off at Daresbury, through Preston Brook and into Murdishaw where the Millbank Linnets Stadium is behind the defunct Halton Arms pub. Overflow car parking on the building site heralds an attendance of 324.

Past the existing clubhouse and into the ground where there is a small covered terrace behind the goal, the back wall completely covered by the two Hemsworth flags. One proclaims 'Poey is Innocent', a reference to an 'innocent' miner jailed during the Miners' Strike after an incident in Fitzwilliam, the birthplace of Geoff Boycott.

Next to it is the reason for all the building work - a brand new clubhouse being constructed in the corner. Along the popular side is a modest all seater covered stand, with the message on the roof stating 'By the fans, for the fans'. The rest of the ground comprises a fenced in walkway, surrounded on three sides by open fields and trees.

The Linnets are in yellow and green hoops, the Wells all blue with black trim. Linnets are first to threaten but Freddie Potter's chip barely troubles Jacob Collier (most appropriate !!) in the away goal. At the other end a hopeful ball puts Lloyd Henderson through but he shoots with the wrong foot and the ball curls away from goal.

Play is somewhat disjointed and niggly, not helped by the gusting wind. Stu Wellstead's forces a splendid save from Collier before on 25 minutes Kris Holt's cross sees an absent Wells back line and captain Kyle Hamid heads the ball beyond Collier to give the Linnets the lead.

Seven minutes before half time brings the game's flashpoint. Wells' David Briggs launches a dreadful studs up challenge on Holt and all last season's animosity flares up again in the ensuing scuffle. Eventually, after much pushing and shoving, Briggs receives a straight red card.

The second half sees Wells struggle to create much in the way of attacking opportunities as the man disadvantage tells. The Linnets find the Hemsworth rearguard well organised and obdurate. Harry Viggars' mistake, dispossessed by Potter who has a clear run on game that results in a lame finish beyond the post, the only clear cut chance.

The final quarter brings another excellent save from Collier, tipping Holt’s header from a corner on to the bar, and Paul Shanley's measured strike is just off target. With six minutes to go a cross from the right finds Shanley at the back post and he tees it up, just outside the six yard box, for the onrushing Michael Simpson to steer into the bottom corner. 2-0 and the tie is over, with Wells coming up dry J