RUNCORN LINNETS 4 SQUIRES GATE 3: Match report

Gate started positively in Cheshire but the hosts had the first shot, a curling effort from outside the box which sailed wide.

The visitors then had two chances in quick succession. Keeper Tom Hunt did well to deny Ric Seear one-one-one, then defender Paul Carroll headed over from a free-kick.

Gate couldn’t capitalise on a series of corners but did make the breakthrough in the 13th minute, when left-back Jack Higham’s lovely low cross was turned into his own net by a Linnets defender under pressure from Seear.

Runcorn applied pressure, Ben Fletcher saving from a corner, and equalised in the 37th minute when striker Mark Houghton got on the end of a cross from his 15th goal of the season.

Gate were back in front by half-time as Ric Seear reached the bye-line and crossed to the back post for twin brother Ben Seear to volley home.

Ten minutes after the restart it was 3-1, Ben Seear netting his second after Rick Riley’s parried shot landed at his feet.

The Linnets pulled one back on 62 minutes, when Carroll conceded a penalty for a trip and captain Kyle Hamid duly joined Houghton on 15 goals for campaign.

Both teams had chances before the hosts drew level on 76 minutes wth Kyle Holt’s back-post tap-in. And they won it four minutes later as substitute Stuart Wellstead fired low past Fletcher, who couldn’t be faulted for any of the goals.

Gate have slipped to 17th but can take positives from recent performances against top clubs, though they have conceded 18 goals in this month’s four league games.

MARK ASHMORE

GATE: Fletcher, Richards, Higham, Alexander, Carroll, Hall, B.Seear,

Noblet, Gibson, Riley, R.Seear. Subs:Dawson, Buchan, Bamba, Penswick.