1874 NORTHWICH are still waiting to celebrate a victory against Runcorn Linnets following another defeat to their rivals on Tuesday.

However their team selection, with included seven changes to a side that had started a weekend meeting with Runcorn Town, perhaps indicated that priorities – at least for now – are elsewhere.

After all, a trip to Leighton Town for an FA Vase quarter-final awaits on Saturday.

The visitors were disjointed as a result, and fell behind midway through the opening period when Mark Houghton guided a header from Paul Shanley’s cross into the corner.

When Michael Simpson’s shot rattled the crossbar shortly afterwards, the hosts were in control.

Visiting goalkeeper Greg Hall produced fine saves to deny Shanley and then Kristian Holt after the interval, and his side’s best spell of the contest followed.

Louis Corrigan had to time perfectly an intervention to deny Kyle Riley when he slid to meet Ryan Jackson’s cross.

Danny Meadowcroft headed wide while debutant Rory Fallon, on as a substitute, was also off-target with a header when Taylor Kennerley sent the ball his way.

A second goal arrived for Runcorn against the run of play when another replacement, former 1874 man Stuart Wellstead, converted emphatically an assist from Shanley.

Freddie Potter, on for Houghton, brought the best from Hall who stretched fully to divert his effort onto the woodwork.

There was enough time left for Ryan Jackson to halve his side’s arrears when he applied a tidy finish to Jack Lever’s cross at the end of a move he had started.

However 1874 will need a ninth attempt to beat their neighbours for the first time.

Linnets | Holmes (GK), Corrigan, Morris, Moore, O’Brien, Nolan, Holt (Hamid 86), Simpson, Houghton (Potter 76), Shanley, Jones (Wellstead 66) Subs not used Hickey, Lawton Goals Houghton 23, Wellstead 80 Booked Holt

1874 | Hall (GK), Lever, Russell (Woods 62), Pritchard, Meadowcroft, Freakes, Hind (Kennerley 69), Matthew Woolley, Riley, Waite-Jackson (Fallon 46), Ryan Jackson Subs not used McGowan, Payne Goal Ryan Jackson 90 Booked Freakes, Riley, Jackson, Matthew Woolley

Referee Carl Rooney

Attendance 426

Match report by Garry Clarke