Brothers to the rescue
DENBIGH TOWN ....................................... 2 WIDNES FC ................................................ 2
WIDNES FC came from two goals down to draw their second game of pre-season 2-2 at Welsh side Denbigh Town on Saturday.
A 19-man Widnes squad made the trip to Wales with Mike Burke making his first appearance of pre-season alongside debutant goalkeeper Louie Mackin.
Denbigh started the better of the two sides, looking significantly sharper than Widnes in the early stages.
Steve Akrigg had to be alert twice in the area to cut out dangerous crosses from the hosts with Mackin being forced into an easy save moments later.
The Huws Gray Alliance side took the lead on the quarter-hour mark as Widnes lost possession cheaply in midfield with Denbigh launching a quick counterattack with Craig Pritchard curling a fine effort beyond the outstretched Mackin from the edge of the ‘D’.
Warren Duckett doubled Denbigh’s advantage as the half-hour approached, turning home a clipped cross into the area from close-range.
Widnes’s goalscoring chances came from long-range strikes. Chad Whyte saw a scuffed effort comfortably gathered by the Denbigh goalkeeper before Kevin Towey saw a free-kick graze the top of the crossbar on its way over.
Boss Joey Dunn made eight changes at half-time with Widnes looking significantly sharper after the break.
The Lomax brothers, George and Chris, combined early in the half as the latter broke free down the left with his well-weighted cross being diverted wide by his sibling, who narrowly missed the target with a diving header.
The same combination were not to be denied minutes later.
George turned provider as his clever turn on the halfway line engineered space that the striker would use to his full advantage. He raced forward before threading a fine ball through to Chris who slotted home ahead of the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Full-back Jay Roberts then went on a marauding run with his cross into the area finding Bradley Woods in space, who could only shoot straight at the Town goalkeeper.
Widnes were level two minutes later. Alex Davies went on the overlap down the right-hand side and delivered an inch-perfect cross towards the penalty spot, picking out George Lomax whose deft touch directed the ball into the bottom corner to equalise.
The visitors were on top and began to search for a winner as Denbigh began to tire. Chris Lomax tested the Denbigh goalkeeper who made a comfortable save after the Widnes winger had linkedup well with Ste Rigby.
Chris Lomax again went close shortly afterwards. Luke Edwards cleverly released his teammate who could only drag his effort narrowly wide.
Widnes took the game to the hosts who began to struggle in the sticky conditions at Central Park.
The woodwork denied Dunn’s side what would have been a winner as Colin Quirk released Edwards into space whose cutback was turned against the post by George Lomax from close-range before Denbigh’s defence quickly cleared the danger.
Edwards saw a stinging drive beaten away at the near-post before another dangerous Davies delivery was hooked ● towards his own goal by a Denbigh defender, but a stunning save kept Widnes at bay. WIDNES FC ................................................ 2 WIDNES CUP XI ........................................ 1 A LATE Kev Towey goal proved to be the difference as Widnes FC’s pre-season preparations continued with a hardfought 2-1 win over a Widnes ‘Select XI’ – a team consisting of players representing Widnes Cup sides – on Tuesday evening.
Widnes were frustrated in the first half by the resilient and committed visitors, with Sam Sheen opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a neat finish.
Sean Farrell made things interesting as he equalised for the representative side with a drilled finish into the top corner before Towey’s winner 10 minutes from time secured victory for Joey Dunn’s men. ● WIDNES’S clash with Handsworth Parramore FC in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup has been moved to Sunday, August 6, kick-off 3pm.