Runcorn 1 Emley 1

DISHONOURS were even following Runcorn's opening Unibond fixture as a pair of sendings-off lent colour to a dull draw. Runcorn's new midfielder Colin Rose marked his debut with a red card in a bizarre incident which left the crowd bemused.

It was just one in a series of poor decisions by referee Dunn, who seemed unduly open to influence from the sidelines.

Emley front man, Peter David - who scored an FA cup goal against West Ham - provoked the Rose incident and was himself dismissed in a tetchy second half.

Runcorn manager Derek Brownbill said of the refereeing: "I think he just lost it. Like everybody else does in life, he had a bad one."

Derek bemoaned as 'crazy' the fact that Rose will now receive a three-match ban, whereas Emley's provocateur will only miss one game.

"I was quite happy with it, being the first game of the season. Emley will be a top five side this year," added Brownbill.

But at least it gave supporters something to discuss, as the game was a diet of directionless long balls - the football equivalent of a meal of salted cardboard.

Fittingly, the first meaningful action was an injury to Emley's Wilson, following a well-judged challenge from Runcorn captain Ruffer. Wilson took no further part.

On 12 minutes, Emley forward Tonks, who displayed intelligence throughout, was given space 20 yards out when Ruffer lost his footing.

Tonks' control, turn and shot forced Morris into a fine diving save.

Runcorn waited half-an-hour before creating anything.

Ruffer's good work in midfield set Nolan free down the left. His floated cross was headed against the inside of the post by Salt.

The rebound caused a scramble in which any one of three Runcorn players could have scored, but didn't.

But it was Emley who scored first when Tonks flicked the ball right to winger Reynolds.

He cut inside and withstood the defender's challenge, before toe-poking the ball home.

The second-half began as soporifically as the first, entertainment being supplied by a spider's attempts at spinning a web between the seats in front of mine

Runcorn relied on early passes to set Watson away on the flanks.

But he invariably lacked support, as the midfield was slow to arrive.

Things livened up, however, on the hour when the ref sent Rose off.

Emley bludgeon David, a physical Goliath, made a potential leg-breaking lunge at Rose, who writhed in agony and shouted abuse at his assailant.

David responded by leaning over the prone man with his fist poised. The referee booked him, but sent the injured party off.

David did not capitalise on his fortune, venting his frustration on Ruffer for a well-earned second booking.

Runcorn went forward with increasing desperation, and were rewarded with seven minutes left.

Substitute Joey Dunn lobbed an astute pass through to Ellis on the right.

His low cross was diverted in by Watson from three yards, a finish of which watching ex-Koppite David Fairclough would have approved.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.