McCartney hits back to win thriller
KINGSWAY ABC’s Mike McCartney snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Thursday, with a dramatic late stoppage on his return to action after almost 11 months out.
Boxing on Kirkby ABC’s show against a home club fighter, McCartney had stepped in at 24 hours notice.
This looked like a decision he would regret making as he found himself up against an opponent who utilised height and reach advantages to good effect, boxing well off the back foot behind accurate jabs, backhands and uppercuts whilst evading McCartney’s attacks with ease to begin with. ● ●
ADRAMATIC Halton derby at the Select Security Stadium on Monday night went the way of Widnes FC as they once again got the better of Runcorn Linnets, this time 2-1.
Substitute Ben Hodkinson was the Widnes hero as he came off the bench to confidently net a penalty four minutes into second half stoppage-time to win the points for the hosts.
In a cagey and scrappy first half, it was George Lomax’s 40th minute opener that narrowly separated the two sides with an advantage that was extinguished when Freddie Potter netted for Linnets midway through the second period.
Linnets pushed for a match-winner and looked the more likely side to claim all three points, but it was Widnes who nicked the victory from under the noses over the neighbours, with Hodkinson converting a spot-kick that he had won himself.
In truth, Widnes survived a Linnets onslaught late on with Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey’s side under the cosh for large periods of the second half.
Widnes stood tall, however, with Hodkinson’s winner equalling a club record of 15 league games unbeaten.
The Widnes co-managers made two changes to the side that won at City of Liverpool FC last time out.
Hodkinson and Chris Lomax dropped to the bench, with George Lomax and Stuart Cook coming into the starting XI.
For Linnets, manager Michael Ellison brought back Potter and Adam Jones who replaced Mark Houghton and Louis Corrigan from the side which had beaten Barnoldswick Town last time out. Jones filled the left-back role while Potter led the Runcorn attack.
In similar fashion to the game at the Millbank Linnets Stadium – that Widnes won 2-0 – just two weeks earlier, Linnets started the better of the two sides.
Skipper Paul Shanley found himself in space down the left, finding Potter with his cross in the area. The Linnets striker engineered space, with his hooked shot at goal forcing former Runcorn player Richie Mottram into a great diving save down to his left.
From the resulting corner, Shanley rose highest to head against the post as Widnes survived an early scare.
The game then settled into a cagey rhythm, but it was Linnets who looked the most threatening.
While Jack Banister had the ball in the net for Widnes only for Towey to be ruled offside, Potter smashed over for the visitors after good work by Shanley.
Widnes struggled to test Runcorn goalkeeper Matty Holmes and even ask questions of Linnets’ defence, but when Banister was fouled 25 yards from goal, the home outfit crafted an opener five minutes before the interval.
Towey floated the set-piece into the area, met by the head of Kev Pollard who forced Holmes into a decent save. Michael Grogan was allowed to hook the loose ball back into the six-yard area, where George Lomax was on hand to nod home into an empty net. As far as Linnets were concerned, it was a very scruffy goal to concede.
The goal lifted Widnes, with Towey volleying over at full stretch on the stroke of half-time after latching on to Stuart Cook’s magnificent lofted pass.