Lewis On Sport

Darwen delight: Salmoners put six past Runcorn in another big home win

Darwen put six past struggling Runcorn Town without reply on a wintry afternoon at the WEC Group Anchor Ground.

Two goals from Leon Creech sent The Salmoners on their way. Top scorer Rio Wilson-Heyes then added a third a couple of minutes prior to the break, before Creech completed his hat-trick in the second half.

Gary Basterfield’s first goal for the club and a header from Sam Holt rounded off the scoring.

Darwen got off to a bright start, with Wilson-Heyes going close to putting The Reds ahead with a great effort from range that whistled not far wide of Dylan Cross’ left-hand post.

Captain Nathan Bond then headed over from a Basterfield corner after Cross had failed to claim the left back’s delivery.

The early pressure Darwen were applying on the Runcorn goal soon told. The ball broke to Creech in the area, and Darwen’s number nine made no mistake, side-footing home into the bottom left corner. 1-0.

Runcorn striker Lewis Williams spurned a huge chance to respond almost instantly when he was played through on goal. The visitors frontman dragged his shot wide of Louis Hood’s right upright.

Creech scored his and Darwen’s second five minutes before the break with a cool, low, and caressed finish across the keeper that nestled in the bottom right corner following a simple pass from Basterfield. 2-0.

Just before half-time, Wilson-Heyes finessed home to increase The Salmoners’ advantage after the ball was laid-off to him by Basterfield in the area. 3-0.

HALF-TIME: DARWEN 3-0 RUNCORN TOWN

It had all been relatively easy for Darwen in a first half where their opponents offered very little.

SECOND HALF

After an uneventful start to the second 45, Wilson-Heyes raced through on goal and it looked certain that he was going to put Kenny Langford’s men four to the good, but Darwen’s number 10 shot wide of the left post.

On the hour mark, Creech scored his 15th goal of the season to complete his hat-trick. Creech went through one-on-one and dispatched with confidence to make it 4-0 to Darwen.

Wilson-Heyes was visibly gutted not to have scored a fifth when he nodded a Basterfield cross just wide from almost point-blank range at the back, right-hand post.

Runcorn substitute Eric Byrne saw a decent effort at goal from outside of the area go wide, Hood may well have been worried for his clean sheet for a second.

Then, the moment that Darwen’s Head of Media had been praying for finally arrived. Basterfield collected a Nathan Strong cross at the back stick after it had somehow evaded everyone in the middle, and a fierce shot cannoned in off the right post. 5-0. 90+1 minutes gone.

Not only did Basterfield finally have a goal to his name, but there was enough time left for Darwen’s number 11 to seal a second hat-trick of assists in three Anchor outings, taking a corner that was headed home by Sam Holt as the final whistle fast approached. 6-0.

FULL-TIME: DARWEN 6-0 RUNCORN TOWN

For Darwen then, a third big home win of 2023 and a 10th home league win of the season. For Runcorn, a miserable afternoon on which they did nowhere near enough to unsettle Darwen at any point. This result leaves them staring even further down the barrel of back-to-back relegations.

The Salmoners’ are next in action on Saturday 18 March, when they make the journey over to Bacup Borough.

THE TEAMS

DARWEN

STARTING XI

1. Louis Hood

2. Jack Lynch

3. Ryan McKenna

4. Christopher Lynch

5. Samuel Holt

6. Anthony Lynch

7. Nathan Bond (C)

8. David Lynch

9. Leon Creech

10. Rio Wilson-Heyes

11. Gary Basterfield

SUBSTITUTES

12. Alfie Carmichael

14. Christopher Smalley

15. Kian Sharples

16. Nathan Strong

18. Thomas Entwistle

RUNCORN TOWN

STARTING XI

1. Dylan Cross

2. Jesse Robinson

3. Joseph Nelson

4. Marcello Arhin

5. Alex Jones

6. Ben Kerr (C)

7. Macauley Clifton

8. Oliver Wright

9. Lewis Williams

10. Neil Weaver

11. James Salkeld

SUBSTITUTES

12, Eric Byrne

14. Zak El-Beshri

15. Ben Reade

16. Joe Hampson

17. Karl Brown