Soccer: It's looking like the play-offs

KEVIN Glendon was on the verge of admitting his Boro side will have to enter next season's newly created Conference North league via the nerve jangling play-off route.

With this latest defeat dropping Boro down to 15th in the league and out of the automatic qualification places, he said: "If we don't make the top 13 we have to be running up a head of steam to make sure we win the play-offs, so we still have to remain focused and run up a bit of form."

After the visitors had two early chances - Mike Garrity's looping cross on two minutes was palmed away by Danny Hurst, followed three minutes later by Hurst smothering Ged Nolan's ground hugger - Boro took the lead in the ninth minute.

Tony Whealing's free kick fell to centre-back Simon Kelly, who drilled a shot into the bottom corner past Tony McMillan in the Runcorn goal.

Boro were looking comfortable at the back, although the Runcorn attack occasionally got through, with former Boro striker Lee Kissock getting in a couple of efforts comfortably dealt with by Hurst.

On 21 minutes Carl Rendell tested Hurst with a snap shot which the Boro stopper parried away. Six minutes later from a corner on the right, Runcorn should have taken the lead, but Dominic Morley's low shot struck Hurst's right post and bounced to safety.

Foster and Mitten were battling away up front, but were up against a well organised defence that managed to deal with the high balls pumped up to the Boro number nine quite easily.

With only intermitent support, too often they were busy creating chances for each other, rather than benefiting from midfield set-ups.

On 37 minutes Foster had a genuine penalty appeal when he was bundled off the ball well inside the Runcorn box, but referee Mr Dunn waved play on.

Two minutes before the half-time whistle, Richard Battersby's teasing 35 yard free kick got a deflection, but unfortunately the Runcorn keeper got a hand to it and Boro took their slender lead into the break

Within five minutes of the restart the visitors were level, Kissock tumbling in the Boro box under a Simon Kelly challenge and the former Boro striker put away the spot kick himself to his obvious delight.

Kissock popped up again and shot just wide; at the opposite end a pinpoint cross from the right of the box from Mitten was met by his strike partner Foster, but McMIllan managed to block it; Foster then returned the favour and set-up Mitten, but he blasted high and wide.

With 67 minutes gone, Kissock found himself un-marked near to the penalty spot, but fortunately for Boro he missed an absolute sitter.

With his side needing all three points to maintain their chances of finishing in the top 13, Kevin Glendon decided to go for broke by replacing midfielder Steve Spencer with striker Mark Redshaw.

The 'wee man' certainly gave Boro's floundering attack new options, but Foster fluffed his chance when put through by Redshaw within minutes of his introduction.

However, the change in tactics was to backfire on Boro, as gaps began to appear in the defence.

With 15 minutes to go Foster, no doubt frustrated at his inability to get on the scoresheet, clashed with David Ness 20 yards out from the Runcorn goal and as they went nose to nose Ness dropped to the ground clutching his midriff.

Fortunately for 'Fozzy' neither referee nor linesman appeared to witness the incident, and after talking to both players Mr Dunn waved play on without a card being flashed.

On 80 minutes Redshaw threatened when he picked up a short corner to dance into the Runcorn box, but his shot went just wide.

But the game was won in the 88th minute, when Runcorn's Tom Spearritt pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the Boro box and had time to control it and pick his spot before lofting his shot into the top right hand corner to grab all tree points for the visitors, who leap-frogged Boro into 14th spot, having been three points and three places below them going into the game.

Boro now have another break, the next game taking place on Saturday March 6th, when they make the trip to bottom club, Wakefield & Emley.

BORO: Hurst, Battersby, Whealing, Kelly, Luker (C), Spencer, J.Foster, Carden, Mitten, S.Foster, Price. Subs: Redshaw (for Spencer, 68), Sampson, Marginson.