LIGHTFOOT by name - but by nature more than capable of carrying a heavy load on his shoulders.
If anyone deserved to hit the winner in this FA Trophy second-round tie, it was Runcorn's player-manager.
He defied injury to produce an inspiring individual performance as the visitors turned things around in the second half in front of a pitiful crowd of 152.
And it was his stoppage-time goal which took the Linnets through to the last 64, maintaining their interest in non-league's premier knockout competition.
Both before and since Chris Lightfoot took charge, the Linnets have had some tough times at home.
And they must have feared this would continue when defensive organiser Ged Nolan was forced off with a head wound sustained in the third minute - and especially when the visitors led 2-1 at the break.
Nolan's injury looked to be picked up in a challenge with Frickley's lively striker Dan Sheriffe, who headed the man instead of the ball.
There was no suggestion it was anything other than accidental, but Runcorn didn't even get a free-kick. Not for the first time this season, the refereeing wasn't always logical.
After Lightfoot had struck, just into the inadequate two minutes of added time - not that Runcorn were complaining in the end - Barry Hogan was blatantly barged off the ball in the Frickley box.
It should have been a penalty, or obstruction at the very least, but play was allowed to continue. Runcorn, luckily, didn't have to wait long for the final whistle.
But that injury to Nolan could have been devastating. With Peter Ellis already sidelined by injury, the last thing Lightfoot needed was to lose another seasoned defender, particularly one with the height to combat Frickley's aerial threat.
However, Runcorn were fortunate to have skipper Steve Carragher, now experienced enough in the sweeping role, to cover when Nolan was unable to continue after five minutes of treatment.
Following early chances at both ends, Runcorn hit the opener on 17 minutes.
Ged Courtney did well to prevent the ball from going dead on the right and his cross picked out Matty McGinn, who had already seen two efforts from distance whistle wide, to score at the far post.
Lightfoot had already forced a tip-over save by Mark Samways from a quickly-taken free-kick.
But Frickley were looking dangerous themselves and parity was restored in the 21st minute.
Tony McMillan got down smartly at his left post to keep out a low drive from Phil Lindley, but from the rebound, the ball was fed back in for Sheriffe to hook home.
Despite playing through an on-going ankle problem, Lightfoot was causing all kinds of trouble for the visitors with his setup play and sheer physical presence.
And he again tested Samways after doing well to get in a shot with his back to goal.
The Yorkshire side, however, went into half-time with a precious advantage.
Midfieldman Lindley glanced in a near-post header from a Sheriffe corner, won by the scorer on the left, in the 42nd minute.
It threatened at that stage to be another gloomy afternoon at Halton Stadium.
But within three minutes of the restart, McGinn's left-wing progress was checked and, from the free-kick, Lightfoot headed down for Courtney to scramble home.
Runcorn had much the better of the second half, although McMillan had to make a miraculous save after a Sheriffe cross had come off giant strike partner Karl Colley's heel. The ball looked to be going in, but McMillan's reflexes were razor-sharp.
Just when it seemed Frickley had survived what was pretty much a Runcorn onslaught, they came unstuck.
As the visitors reorganised after two enforced substitutions, Courtney steered in a cross from the right. Lightfoot won the challenge in the air and the ball dropped perfectly for the gleeful boss to fire into a gaping net.
RUNCORN FC HALTON: McMillan, Carragher, Ness, Nolan (Brierley 9), Spearritt, Parkinson, Hogan, Garrity, Lightfoot, Courtney, McGinn. Subs (not used): Tamm, Carden, Morley, Murphy.
