Little clash – but first big test for the Wids
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AFTER what has been a long and often frantic close season, the waiting is finally over for Widnes RUFC as they prepare for their first real test of the new campaign.
And what an opener it promises to be, with a cup tie – at home for a change – against Littleborough in the first round of the Lancashire Trophy.
The two clubs look likely to be regular bed fellows this season. Not only are they meeting this weekend, but they will lock horns on a further three occasions; twice in the new Lancashire County Leagues, and in a pool game in the League Cup.
Generally though, the two teams have usually avoided each other as geographically they have played in different leagues and often at different levels.
But supporters of the ‘Red and Blacks’ can be forgiven for casting their minds back to the last time the two met in 2012.
It was on a very wet day in April that Widnes overcame the considerable challenge of the Rakewood Road outfit 19-9 to lift the Lancashire Trophy – and claim their first piece of silverware for 21 years.
Try scorers that day were Phil Glover, Andy Riley and Kevin Leadbetter.
So, any sort of result similar to that this weekend will not only move them smoothly and swiftly into the semi-final, but send them into next week’s first league game against West Park in great heart.
Following their elevation three years ago, Littleborough have been able to maintain their status in the now defunct North Lancs Cumbria division, finishing 11th in successive seasons.
Last term, they struggled during the early part of the campaign until some improved form in the second half of the season saw them finish with a flourish with four wins from their last five matches.
Widnes, meanwhile, have also been building steadily over the past couple of seasons, and with many of their younger players learning successfully in the pressure cooker environment of the former South Lancs/Cheshire One, they will be hoping that their improving upward trend will continue both in this competition, and the new Premier Division which starts on September 8.
In the other senior fixtures, the seconds are at home to Wirral in Division Two South, whilst the thirds make their way to Hoylake in Division Four West.
All games kick off at 3pm