Barnoldswick Town 1 Runcorn Linnets 2

BATTLING Barnoldswick Town were sunk by a late goal after giving the North West Counties League Premier Division leaders a tough test at the Silentnight Stadium on Saturday.

Kieron Brislen's 82nd minute shot took a deflection and flew into the net. It was cruel luck for the home side who might even have won the match themselves if they had taken their first-half chances.

Town made a bright start and Mark Threlfall swerved a shot past a post from a first-minute corner.

Striker Matthew Simpson went close with a shot which went just over the bar after he beat the offside trap. Simpson also headed a James Crorken cross just wide before he opened the scoring in the 29th minute.

Threlfall was put through and his shot ballooned into the air off the advancing Dean Porter's legs. Threlfall was the first to react and headed back across goal for Simpson to tap home.

Town deserved to be in front and nearly extended their lead when an Arley Barnes free-kick found the head of Threlfall and Porter was forced to save at the foot of his post.

The visitors had two chances almost on half-time, Jordan Gidley tipping a Ryan Cox shot round a post for a corner and Carl Ellerton managed to block a Mark Houghton shot to safety.

Threlfall had two chances to extend the lead at the start of the second half but was unable to capitalise.

Linnets started to press more as the Town defence retreated and just before the hour mark Shaun Airey was adjudged to have tripped Cox inches inside the penalty area.

It looked a soft decision by the referee to award a penalty but Jordan Gidley parried Freddie Potter's spot kick and pounced on the loose ball before the Linnets player could take advantage.

The mounting pressure told minutes later when River Humphreys thundered a header into the net to equalise from a corner.

Both sides made substitutions before Linnets snatched their late second goal to wrap up the points. It was tough on Town as they had played their full part in a closely-contested encounter.