Warrington show a bit of class in 5-1 victory
WIDNES were overwhelmed as last season’s beaten Step 3 super play-off finalists Warrington Town cruised to a convincing pre-season victory.
In truth, the Whites were never really in the contest as Warrington started brightly, with Paul Carden’s men showing their quality and why many are tipping them for promotion to the National League North come May 2020.
There were starts for Sean Myler and Josh Klein-Davies with the latter heading a Widnes frontthree alongside Ben Hodkinson and Conor Ready.
Elsewhere, George Webster was named amongst the substitutes after missing Widnes’ previous three friendly outings.
Town raced into a seventhminute lead. Connor McCarthy, who appeared a handful of times in a Widnes shirt under Steve Hill, turned home from close-range with an element of good fortune, after a loose ball broke to the striker in the area.
Widnes were largely penned back and limited to half-chances, with Myler blazing an ambitious volley over from some way out. It was soon 2-0. The influential Dylan Vassalo made a good run in-behind but had an effort on goal saved by Owen Wheeler, but Josh Amis reacted quickest to prod home the rebound.
Warrington were in control, and it took a crucial Mike Burke intervention from Amis getting on the end of a delicious Louis Barnes cross, with Wheeler collecting the subsequent aerial ball.
Carden’s side would go close to a third on the half-hour, but Mitch Duggan’s dipping effort crashed back off the post, while Wheeler would make a solid save to deny a dipping volley from Amis.
Town soon made their superiority tell and went in at the break with a 3-0 lead.
Vassalo floated a sumptuous cross into the area, where Amis made a well-timed run to smash home his second of the night.
Widnes improved after the break, with substitute Webster releasing Hodkinson in behind, but he skewed his effort off target. Chances would then follow for Warrington, but Wheeler was twice alert to first deny McCarthy, and then Amis minutes later.
Widnes reverted to a 4-4-2 formation when Lewis Buckley was introduced on the hour-mark, as he joined Klein-Davies up top with Ready and Hodkinson sent providing width from the flanks. But it was to have little effect on a rampant Warrington, who soon added a fourth. Ex-Widnes loanee Jack Dunn dazzled with quick-feet to engineer space for a cross that was emphatically headed home by Scott Sephton.
Widnes would quickly reply as the Whites pulled a goal back, as Buckley rose highest to nod beyond McMillan from Jay Roberts’ floated free-kick.
But Warrington soon restored their four-goal advantage as Sephton added his second, again heading in this time via a deflection.
Widnes return to action at Ashton Town on Tuesday night to kick-off a bumper week of three games in five days. ● Widnes XI: Wheeler, Roberts, Holden, Ventre (Buckley 60), Shaw, Burke (Mooney 75), Myler (Grogan 66), Steele (Webster 46), KleinDavies, Hodkinson, Ready. Subs not used: Hancocks ●