THE LINNETS went flying up the table on Saturday night following their first home victory of the new campaign.

The ascent to fourth place in the Unibond, courtesy of a 1-0 defeat of Gateshead, was down purely to a second half transformation, when the attacking, committed football was in total contrast to the dross played before half-time.

Manager Derek Brownbill explained tit thus: "We have not been playing well at home. We've been encouraging them to get it down and play, but in the first half they didn't do that

"But in the second-half they did and we won with a good finish from Liam."

The game opened in soporific fashion; the entertainment, such as it was, being provided by a small and boisterous contingent of Gateshead supporters.

The away side, newly-relegated from the Conference, settled first. They showed more competence on the ball, keeping it from Runcorn by precise passing combinations.

The Linnets first meaningful contribution to the game was to win a corner.

Nolan swung it over, the goalkeeper totally missed it, but a Gateshead defender was first to react, poking the ball away for another corner.

Gateshead continued to keep the ball. Runcorn's main strategy involved playing long and poorly-aimed balls forward in the hope that Liam Watson would make something happen.

But Watson's positional play was more suited to the time before the FA decided that offside laws were a good idea.

On the half-hour, Ellis thought to try his luck with a 35-yard free kick.

But judging from the result, it wasn't worth his while buying a National Lottery ticket for that evening's draw.

Gateshead went close with a volley which flew just over the bar.

The half closed, fittingly, with good interpassing by Ward, Rose and Salt being ruined by the latter's ill-directed cross.

Things could only get better, as Tory Blair might say, and they most certainly did.

Whatever Derek Brownbill said, the effect was dramatic.

Straight away, Nolan broke down the left and squared it across the box. Watson was unlucky to connect.

Then a lay-off by Salt allowed Watson to turn and shoot, bringing a diving save from Swann.

Runcorn forced three corners in quick succession, an indication of substantial improvement with Watson continuing to pose a threat.

Just past the hour, the crowd thought the deadlock had been broken when Salt met Rose's floated cross.

But it was merely an optical illusion and celebrations stuck in the fans' throats.

However, on 68 minutes, a cross from the left found Watson with time to turn and shoot in the box. He placed his shot into the bottom corner to give the Linnets the lead.

Chances rained like pigeon dirt on Trafalgar Square after that. Watson and Rose should both have extended the lead. Rose also saw his curling free-kick well pushed away by Swann.

But Gateshead almost equalised in the last minute when a cross found Norbury unmarked in the six-yard box.

But he screwed his shot woefully with the goal gaping, and the game was up.

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