Kettering 2 Runcorn FC Halton 1

RUNCORN'S troubled season came to a disappointing but almost inevitable conclusion on Monday night, as fellow relegation strugglers Stalybridge clawed themselves to safety after a 2-0 defeat of Hucknall Town.

This condemns the Linnets to UniBond football next season and leaves Saturday's match against Lancaster a farewell to Nationwide North.

Three points at Kettering last weekend would have been a much needed result, but in the end, Runcorn left Rockingham Road empty handed, knowing their fate was now out of their control.

The first half saw the Poppies' top scorer Darren Lynch being taken to hospital with a broken leg after just five minutes.

His replacement, Scott Cross didn't wait long to make his mark on the game and in the 35th minute, he scored his first goal of the season, firing in a rebound after Runcorn keeper Neil Thompson had saved his original effort.

After half time, Runcorn began to push forward and Robbie Moore nearly levelled the scores just after the restart, but his header drifted wide.

As the Linnet's defence began to open up, Kettering put the game beyond doubt in the 75th minute.

Some slack marking enabled Chris Difante to shoot at Thompson from close range, and although his shot was parried away, the rebound fell straight to Cross who made no mistake with a simple tap-in.

Matty McGinn gave Runcorn a glimmer of hope with nine minutes remaining as he fired an impressive shot from 35 yards, into the bottom corner.

However, the Linnets couldn't find the vital equaliser, which would have set up a tense final weekend.

Runcorn: Thompson; Spearitt; Moore; Ness; Van Blerk; Jack; Parle; Heenighan (Soley 85); McGinn; Denny (Taylor 76); Young; Subs: Mike McGinn; Carragher; McDiarmid.