A DISAPPOINTING afternoon from Danny Holmes’ Vauxhall Motors saw a chance to top the table slip through their grasp as a result of a penalty for Runcorn Linnets after 35 minutes converted by Taylor Bowen

Before the game got underway all in the ground observed a minute silence to commemorate the lives of Jason Morland and Mark Pearson.

Jason was heavily involved in non-league and amateur football in Liverpool.

Mark passed away 25 years ago to the day playing for Vauxhall after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Both sides exchanged blows within the first five minutes as they wasted no time looking to establish a foothold. Ben Holmes’ free kick from the right-hand side was headed into the path of Jawad Jebrin by Toby Jones. However, the effort sailed over the bar and out for a goal kick.

This was then matched by Ryan Brooke who was slipped through thanks to a long ball over the top. He pulled the trigger early and forced Jack Atkinson to get down and save a shot certain to nestle in the bottom corner.

Atkinson saw red after half an hour as his hesitation to come for the ball meant when he finally did, he brought down Brooke. As the referee awarded a penalty so too did, he brandish a red card in the face of the Vauxhall number one. However, after jeering from both the crowd and the dugout referee Joe Cunningham was reminded of the double jeopardy rule which allowed him to return to the pitch.

A break which saw Brooke forced off through injury was brought to an end as Bowen stepped up to take his penalty. He coolly slotted it into the bottom right corner sending Atkinson the wrong way.

Thomas Myles was then forced to come up big for Runcorn as he was diving to his left to prevent what he thought would have been a tap in by Jake Kirby-Reed. Instead, a headed effort meant he had to react and palm the ball over the bar.

As referee Mr Cunningham blew the half time whistle, we were treated to even more controversy as Runcorn appeared to be through one on one but were stopped in their tracks by the decision to go for the break.

The second half was incredibly quiet taking half an hour for the first chance with Luke Wall’s smashing a curling effort wide of the mark and out for a goal kick.

An incredibly uncharacteristic second half from Vauxhall Motors saw their only chance of the half in the 89th minute as Connor Rankin delivered an inch perfect cross to Josh Quarless but the strikers’ effort is well over the bar.

Vauxhall return to action next Saturday with a fixture against City of Liverpool away at the DCBL Stadium.