Image credit: Andy Ford
Colne earned their first point under new manager Jon Macken with a hard fought draw against Runcorn Linnets at Holt House on Tuesday night. The Reds took the lead early in the game but were pegged back on the stroke of half time before an exciting end-to-end second half when the game could have gone either way.
Colne got off to a great start after just nine minutes when Lee Pugh and Prince Haywood worked the ball through midfield to Reece Webb-Foster who found the net with a 25 yard shot past the outstretched hands of the diving keeper.
Linnets came back strongly and after 16 minutes Hakan Burton made a great save to turn Stuart Crilly’s shot over his crossbar before a series of corners culminated in a shot by Ryan Brooke striking the far post of the Colne goal.
But the Reds looked for a second goal and Webb-Foster saw his shot fly just over the bar after a good build-up before Oli Roberts had a goal bound shot blocked in the visitors’ penalty area in a subsequent attack.
Linnets continued to threaten and Tom Dean and Jack Worrall made vital clearances to keep the visitors at bay. But on the stroke of half time, a free kick into the Colne goalmouth was headed down and in the ensuing scramble Tom Marsh-Hughes fired home from close range to level the scores at 1-1.
As the second half began, a raid on the left wing and a cross to the far post looked to have provided an unmissable chance for Linnets Iwan Murray but Kingsley Williams made a great block to prevent a goal and clear the danger.
On the hour, it was Colne who looked likely to add to the scoreline as Haywood picked up a loose pass in the Linnets half and took the ball forward before seeing his goal bound shot deflected for a corner. And from the resulting cross, Haywood had another shot blocked in the goalmouth by a desperate Linnets defence.
In the end-to-end play, Pugh made a vital block in the Colne goalmouth to prevent Murray from scoring from close range. Then Tom Dean conceded a free kick on the edge of the Colne penalty area as he brought an end to a breakaway run by Murray with a last ditch tackle.
In the closing minutes, Burton made a great save to prevent Oladapo Olarewaju from scoring as he broke clear in a one-on-one and recovered to save the follow-up shot from a team-mate.
As the final whistle approached, Colne threatened to snatch a win as Webb-Foster’s cross was punched away from under the crossbar by Linnets keeper Scott Reed.
Colne F.C. Line Up:
Burton / Gourley / Dugdale / Dean / Pugh / Haywood / Russell / Worrall*** / Williams** / Roberts*
Subs:
Shepherd** / Winstanley* / Lent / Myers*** / Thorpe
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