THE secretary of Runcorn Football Supporters' Club has paid tribute to enthusiasts who are keeping alive senior non-league football through the birth of Run-corn Linnets.

Having aided the cause of Runcorn AFC/Runcorn FC Halton throughout their existence, the organisation has formally transferred allegiance to the new fans-run club, which will play in North West Counties Division Two in the coming season.

Supporters' club secretary Sue Bell said at its annual meeting: 'A lot of hard work and time has gone into the forming of the new club and it has paid off.

'If you want this new club to succeed, get behind the team regardless of who we're playing, where we're playing and when we're playing.

'Without you the dream is shattered and we'll never again see the club as it was. Hopefully we will see the Runcorn colours flying once again in Runcorn.'

Stuart White, interim chairman of the Linnets Independent Supporters' Trust board which is running the new football club, admitted he would like to see integration with the supporters' club.

He said none of the other fans' clubs had separate supporters' clubs but he stressed Linnets did not want to exercise any control.

He said: 'All we want is the two entities to eventually become one.

'The club is run by supporters as a trust. Everybody has one vote.

'But as long as we work together and are pushing in the same direction, that's more important.'

Supporters' Club chairman Stuart Houghton said: 'We all know what a horrendous season it was (with Run-corn FC Halton in 2005-06).

'The Supporters' Club is going to do all it can to help the new club. Here's to the future.'

At the meeting, Mrs Bell and treasurer Phil Wainwright were re-appointed.

Having retired by rotation, Stuart Houghton was re-elected to the committee, who traditionally appoint their own chairman and will now do so at the next ordinary meeting.

The club's balance sheet showed the Supporters' Club had donated £2,000 to Runcorn AFC Ltd last season and was now almost bereft of funds with little more than £200 in reserve.

During the AGM, at the Quayside Function Rooms in Canal Street, mention was made of the deaths of ex-SC committeeman Ray Shingler and auditor Jack Farrell, who was a big Run-corn supporter in his own right.

ADRIAN Smith shot one of the best rounds ever seen at Widnes GC on his way to their Club Championship.

He scored a five-under-par 64 -one off the club record - in the first of two rounds.

It was a standard no-one could live with - not even himself. But Smith's second-round 77 was still enough for victory by five strokes.

The winner, who finished with a three-over-par 141, had been nine clear of his nearest challenger Mark Phillips after the first 18 with Phillips carding a four-over-par 73.

Phillips repeated this score in the second round for an aggregate of 146 and overall runners-up spot.

However, this included a disastrous 10 on the par-five tenth, which effectively put paid to his challenge.

Result: 1 Adrian Smith 64+77=141; 2 Mark Phillips 73+73=146; 3 Kelvin Birch 75+75+150; 4 Alan Carter 76+75=151; Gary Whitfield 79+74=153. nHome advantage told in the Tetley Cup - an open 18-hole betterball Stableford competition played off seven eighths of handicap - at Highfield Road.

Early starters Alan Potter and Ste Roberts, both Widnes members, were the winners with 47pts.

Two points behind were Dave Cafferty and Ste O'Neill, also from the host club.

Chris Lam (Widnes) and Lymm's Ken Everett were beaten into third place on a card play-off.

Fourth spot went to Widnes club president Bill Ferguson and John Penney (44pts).