Wakefield and Emley 3

Runcorn FC Halton 5

PLAYER manager Chris Lightfoot, led by example at Wakefield and Emley by climbing off the subs bench and scoring a hat-trick in just 25 minutes.

The early play belonged to the home side and Runcorn FC Halton keeper Tony McMillan had to be at his best early on to palm away a shot from Dean Fearon.

Against the run of play the Linnets took the lead in the 26th minute through Carl Rendell, who scored from close range following a corner from Mike Garrity.

The lead lasted just five minutes when Lee Ryan took advantage of some hesitancy in the visitor's defence to put Wakefield and Emley level.

Four minutes later the home side went ahead, Steve Kenworthy scoring from close range.

The Linnets fell further behind after 57 minutes when the much-travelled Robert Pell scored another goal from close range.

This was the cue for Lightfoot to enter the fray and he made an immediate impact by scoring after he had been on the pitch just two minutes.

The aerial strength of Lightfoot was proving to be a problem for the home side's defence and the player/manager equalised after 75 minutes.

Wakefield and Emley keeper, Nicky Scaife, failed to hold the ball under pressure from Lightfoot and the Linnets striker scored from close range.

The visitors now went for the winner and the unlikely hero was Tom Spearritt.

The young Linnets defender had stayed in the penalty area after a corner and he was on hand to steer Dominic Morley's shot past keeper Scaife and into the Wakefield and Emley net.

Lightfoot got a deserved hat-trick when in the final minute he put a shot into the roof of the net to send the Linnets travelling support delirious.