Runcorn Town Reserves’ poor run of form continued with a shock defeat at Christleton, although the question on everyone’s lips afterwards was “How did they lose the game?”.

Runcorn dominated the opening 20 minute period of the game and created plenty of chances. Robbie Darlington, Paul Illidge and Danny Cummins all went close without really troubling the home keeper. Christleton almost snatched the lead when Runcorn keeper Jason Orme could only parry a cross and was grateful to his team mate David Graven who cleared the ball off his own goal line.

Connor Anderson's pace was causing problems to the Christleton defence and from his cross Cummins hit a powerful shot straight at the keeper. Another break by Anderson again opened up the home defence, his accurate cross found Dave Jolley who hit the ball into the side netting. CONNOR ANDERSON put Runcorn ahead when he out paced the Christleton defence and chipped the ball cleverly over the advancing keeper. It was no more than Runcorn deserved but Christleton fired a warning when Orme did well to turn a shot for a corner.

Robbie Davies broke from defence and hit a long range shot that the keeper did well to tip onto the crossbar. A fluke goal in the 43rd minute produced an equaliser for the home side completely against the run of play. Dan Carter out on the left touch line hit a cross that swerved and dipped to totally deceive Orme and find the net to the dismay of his team mates. Worse was to follow when in injury time Steve Morgan headed the ball in off the upright following a corner that Runcorn failed to clear.

The second half started and within three minutes Town had three clear opportunities to equalise. Firstly Darlington pulled the ball inside the centre back then hit his shot wide of the upright, Ben Butler then produced a pinpoint cross on to Ged Bushell’s head but the Runcorn striker headed straight at the keeper, then Illidge hit a cross that again Bushell headed straight at the keeper. The chances were falling to Runcorn and they were becoming very frustrated at the misses.

Anderson crossed to Bushell whose header once again found the keeper and any misheaders by him would certainly have found the back of the net. In the 66th minute Christleton increased their lead with a powerful shot from 10-yards by Morgan, and again it was against the run of play but it was hard to deny the hard working Chester outfit their lead. Runcorn manager Rod Looker immediately changed his formation, pushing central defender Graven up front, and the move paid off when GRAVEN hit a powerful shot across the keeper into the bottom corner in the 77th minute to make it 3-2.

Runcorn were still celebrating when Christleton broke to get their 4th goal a minute later with Morgan completing his hat trick with a low shot into the bottom corner. Runcorn still attacked and it was the industrious Graven who broke down the right and fired in a low cross that ANDERSON side footed home to make it 4-3 in the 88th minute. Town had one last attempt with a long range effort by Martin Daly that was deflected for a corner.