WITTON fans were told this was the most important match of the season so far.

After a watching a stunningly inept performance by their team, particularly in a first half during which they conceded four times, they could be forgiven for wondering if the players had got the same message.

Albion have now lost four of their past five FA Cup ties, shipping five goals in the competition for the first time since October 2000.

Anthony Sheehan, appointed as Brian Pritchard’s successor earlier this week, promised changes afterwards.

In a perverse way, he will find it easier trim the squad after such a wretched showing.

The very last thing he needed was a repeat of a defensive aberration that saw them fall behind in the first minute against Curzon Ashton in midweek.

He arguably got worse; Witton lost possession from the kick off, then allowed Mark Keddie to send clear Jack Webb unopposed.

Left with only goalkeeper Chris Sanna to beat, he swept in smartly.

Albion levelled on nine minutes, Neil Harvey’s looped finish a punishment for Chris Lester’s mistake after he failed to direct a header back to custodian Phil Priestley.

A second Runcorn goal followed after 12 minutes, Webb sprinting onto his own pass forwards before gleefully skipping around Sanna to score.

The visitors’ defence, prompted by a linesman’s flag, duly stopped.

But Paul Shanley, in an offside position, was deemed to not be enough of a distraction.

Witton awoke, launching attacks that ended with weak shots from first Alex Titchiner and then Harvey.

Danny Andrews’ free kick was too high, then he headed wide of an upright when meeting Titchiner’s cross.

That pressure dissipated instantly when Chris Lawton sneaked into the six-yard box to head in a corner helped on inadvertently by an Albion defender.

Within 60 seconds, it was 4-1.

Ross Davidson gifted possession to Keddie on the edge of Witton’s penalty area and the midfielder, Runcorn’s outstanding performer, finished tidily.

Sheehan’s men had capitulated completely.

They showed signs of life after the interval, reducing their arrears when Davidson’s header from Iain Howard’s corner was diverted past Priestley by unlucky Lawton.

Albion closed to within a goal on 63 minutes, Harvey applying a finishing touch to Titchiner’s cross after Priestley parried Andrews’ direct free kick.

For the first time, Runcorn teetered.

Sensing as much, manager Simon Burton – a former player at Wincham Park – came on as a substitute.

His ability to hold onto the ball, to protect it, stopped Witton’s gathering momentum.

On one such occasion he smuggled it back to Keddie, who split the defence with a pass that sent Shanley clear.

Runcorn’s leading scorer kept cool, shooting decisively to end the contest at 5-3.

Their reward is to play in the second qualifying round for the first time.

Sheehan’s exasperation was not hidden.

After two defeats this week, his introduction to management has been an uncomfortable one.

“We looked like the team from two levels below,” he rued.

If anything, they were worlds apart.

Runcorn (3-5-2) Priestley (GK), Spearritt, Latham, Lawton, Potter, Keddie, Webb, Irlam (Roberts 68), Lester, Shanley (Williams 90), Breen (Burton 68) Subs not used Houghton, Salt, Gibson, Liberal Goals Webb 1, 12 Lawton 37 Keddie 38 Shanley 80 Booked Potter (foul), Priestley (dissent)

Witton (4-4-2) Sanna (GK), Moyo, Gardner, Harrison, Lea, Andrews, Davidson, Powell (Koral 82), Howard (Bakkor 60), Harvey, Titchiner Subs not used Swift (GK), Corbett, Dawson, Sheehan, Sherratt Goals Harvey 9, 62 Lawton 53 (own goal) Booked Powell (foul)

Referee Paul Ince (Bolton)

Attendance 230