Double joy in league and cup for Widnes
WIDNES FC .............................................. 5 MAINE ROAD ........................................... 1 IDNES FC recorded their first victory under joint managers Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey following a rampant first-half display against Maine Road last Saturday which saw the Whites grab three goals in 13 minutes to put the Mancunians to the sword.
The opener came on the 12-minute mark. It was a magnificent passing move as the ball was worked wide to Jay Roberts on the right-hand side. He drove forward before playing a neat one-two with Sean Myler that released the former Runcorn Linnets man into the area, with Roberts finishing well beyond Ryan Livesey.
In total control, Widnes took a firm grip on the game with a second goal shortly before the half-hour. Debutant Jack Banister was involved, whipping a dangerous delivery into the area where Sam Sheen was on-hand to turn home his maiden Widnes goal from closerange. After 36 games without a Widnes goal, Sheen was at the double inside seven first half minutes. Jack Graham was the creator, superbly dancing past two defenders before splitting the Maine Road defence with an incisive through-ball. Sheen latched on to the pass before firing a composed effort into the roof of the net.
The visitors were visibly rattled by Widnes’ firepower, unable to cope with the pace and threat of Roberts, Graham and Banister. The latter continued his fine debut with an assist, as he found space down the channel to cut a cross back into the path of Myler who found the back of the net via the underside of
WFOOTBALL suporters are often prepared to go the extra mile in support of their club, particularly in the rarefied environment of the nonLeague game.
But Huang Andersson has taken the lengths he will go to, as a Runcorn Linnets follower, a whole new distance – by bringing his family thousands of miles from their home in China to visit his favourite club!
Huang, whose hometown is close to the Taiwanese border, has followed Linnets’ fortunes from afar since the early part of this century.
And earlier this month, it was an unlikely ambition fulfilled as Huang, his wife and two young children got to see the Millbank Linnets Stadium at close quarters on their own exclusive tour.
It all came about from a conversation on Twitter after Huang had contacted the Linnets from Liverpool to ask if he could have a look around – and the club answered his call. ● ● Sam Sheen scores his second goal for Widnes FC in their 5-1 triumph over Maine Road last Saturday. the bar with a well-taken finish.
Widnes picked up where they left off early in the second half, and it took a good save from Road goalkeeper Livesey to deny Brad Smart with his feet, before making another good stop minutes later to deny a Graham effort.
The hosts had reduced their intensity but Akrigg and Towey’s side were still hungry for more. Sheen exchanged passes with Myler before playing a pass through to striker Billy Webb but Livesey was on-hand to make the save.
Against the run of play, Maine Road pulled a goal back following the hourmark. Connor Hughes did well to latch on to a long ball over the top, timing his run immaculately y to volley yp past an out-
Although there was no home game during the family’s stay in England, Huang dearly wanted to see their ground before heading home to Asia.
Huang was shown the fans-owned club’s facilities by Linnets’ chairman, Mark Buckley.
The chairman said: “In 2001, Huang adopted Runcorn FC Halton (which was the operating name of our predecessor club, Runcorn stretched Richie Mottram.
Widnes gradually began to regain a rhythm as the hosts were awarded a 70th minute penalty. Webb contested an aerial ball with Livesey who inexplicably wrestled the Widnes man to the ground leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot.
Skipper Kev Pollard stepped up, but his spot-kick was a poor one with Livesey redeeming himself with a relatively straightforward save.
Nevertheless, a fifth Widnes goal was inevitable and it came two minutes from time. Two substitutes combined as Alex Davies engineered space for a cross towards the near-post, allowing Chad Whyte y to convert with a tidy y finish AFC) as his favourite team, through playing the computer game Championship Manager.
“Because social media is limited in his home country, it has been difficult over the years for him to get much information about the club, and so he decided to bring his family on a pilgrimage to England to find his favourite team!
“He had the ground listed as ‘Autoquest, Liverpool’ as to complete the scoring and the rout. WIDNES FC booked their place in the last eight of the Liverpool Senior Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over Hallmark Security League Premier Division rivals AFC Liverpool on Monday night.
Tom Mitchell’s goal inside the opening minute proved to be the difference as Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey’s side secured a second consecutive victory, stretching Widnes’s unbeaten run with the duo at the helm to five games.
What transpired to be the game’s pivotal moment came with less than 60 seconds on the clock. After Towey was bundled over to win a free-kick, Dylan Sweeney floated a deep cross towards the back-post where Mitchell was present to turn the ball home.
Widnes spurned a glorious chance to kill the game as a contest 20 minutes from time. Striker Chad Whyte did brilliantly until the finish, dropping his shoulder twice as he drove into the area only to fire wide of the mark.
AFC Liverpool’s best chance came five minutes from time as substitute Deklan Hill looked to get in behind the Widnes backline but Mitchell reacted quickly to make a terrific, sliding intervention to prevent the AFC man from testing Richie Mottram. when Runcorn FC Halton were playing in Widnes, their home games took place at what was then The Auto Quest Halton Stadium.
“Through setting up a Twitter profile, he was able to get in touch, and we sent him directions instead to the Millbank Linnets Stadium.
“Huang and his family duly arrived, as arranged, on Sunday afternoon from Liverpool – on the 79c bus!
“He was thrilled to be