A Ruben Wiggins-Thomas brace helped Kidsgrove Athletic to a 3-0 victory over Runcorn Linnets in their final pre-season friendly ahead of the new campaign.

Wiggins-Thomas and Anthony Malbon both netted in quick succession just before the break, and then with half an hour remaining a good header from Wiggins-Thomas completed the victory.

Early on the visitors made the brighter start with Ben Wharton having a shot from a tight angle that flew past the post, and only a few minutes later Jacques Welsh had an effort from outside the area which was comfortably held by Harrison.

On the 21st minute, Runcorn had a penalty claim when Kurt Sherlock went down under an Oliver Hickman challenge inside the area. However, the referee deemed the Grove new signing to have won the ball.

Five minutes later the hosts created their first opportunity of the match when a Ben Chesters cross was met by Tom France, but his glancing header bounced a yard wide of the far post.

Then three minutes before the break, Kyle Blake had a low shot that was driven wide of the mark after being well fed by Malbon inside the area.

However, two minutes later the deadlock was broken when a deflected Malbon low cross from the right found Wiggins-Thomas at the back post and he had the simple task of tapping the ball home.

Then things got even better for Scott Dundas’s side when Malbon latched on to a long ball forward and he managed to poke the ball past the onrushing Ryan Neild.

After the break, the Grove continued to perform and could have had a third on the 54th minute mark, but substitute Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi’s drive from range was well tipped round the post by Neild.

Although the deserved third goal did come when a Kyle Diskin cross from the right found Wiggins-Thomas, and he managed to flick his header into the top right hand corner meaning that he grabbed his second goal of the game.

On the hour mark, Wharton had a chance to get on the scoresheet but his effort inside the area, after latching on to a long ball, sailed a couple of yards wide of Harrison’s goal.

Seven minutes later, Malbon could have had his second of the game after bringing down a Blake through ball, but his shot from a tight angle was parried behind for a corner.

With the game sailing out its course, neither team created too many clear cut opportunities with only Diskin in stoppage time seeing his powerful free-kick from 30 yards being well tipped over the bar by Neild.

This victory sealed a decent pre-season for the Grove as after six games, they were able to remain unbeaten and it sets them up well for their first match of the 2020/21 campaign. This comes in the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup against Chasetown next Saturday at the Autonet Insurance Stadium.