Four-midable Widnes triumph once again
CITY OF LIVERPOOL FC ......................... 1 WIDNES FC ................................................ 4
SKIPPER Kev Pollard and Chris Lomax both hit stunning strikes as Widnes FC put City of Liverpool to the sword with a resounding 4-1 win at the TDP Solicitors Stadium last Saturday afternoon.
Pollard’s rasping drive put the visitors ahead before joint-boss Kev Towey added a second deep into first half stoppage-time from the penalty spot.
Ben Hodkinson added a third early in the second half, with Lomax netting a stunning fourth 15 minutes from time while Joe Camozzi bagged a late consolation for the hosts.
Towey and co-manager Steve Akrigg made two changes to the side that won at Runcorn Linnets one week earlier.
With Mike Burke suspended, Jack Banister returned to the starting line-up as Michael Grogan dropped into defence while Hodkinson was preferred to George Lomax up front.
The visitors enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges with Towey unable to poke home after goalkeeper Richie Mottram’s long ball forward caused chaos amongst the City of Liverpool back four while Hodkinson could not quite get on the end of a dangerous Lomax delivery.
Despite Widnes’s positive start, the hosts had a great early chance thwarted by the gloves of Mottram.
The visitors wasted a free-kick allowing City of Liverpool to launch a counterattack led by Jack Hazlehurst. The youngster’s cutback found Tom Peterson, but Mottram pulled off an outstanding save to his right.
Widnes had survived a scare but still looked in control of proceedings. And they were rewarded for their dominance on the half-hour mark.
Akrigg and Towey’s men were patient, with a flowing move allowing Banister to tee up Pollard from 30 yards, with the Widnes captain hitting a thunderous drive into the far corner of the goal that gave the outstretched keeper Michael Langley no chance of stopping. ●
Widnes were firmly in the ascendancy, with Lomax again sending another cross into the six-yard area that narrowly evaded the late arriving pair of Towey and Hodkinson.
The visitors were awarded a penalty in first half stoppage-time. Hodkinson was played through on goal and managed to round Langley only to go down under the challenge of the Purples’ goalkeeper despite the striker’s best attempts to convert from close-range.
Referee Peter Simm awarded Widnes a spot-kick, which Towey duly dispatched before celebrating in front of the hosts’ faithful behind the goal.
Widnes were firing on all cylinders and added a third goal only four minutes into the second half.
Pollard had a header inadvertently blocked on the line by teammate Towey from a Lomax corner. However, the ball was sent back into the area, only to be cleared as far as Hodkinson who hit a powerful volley that nestled in the back of the net.
The cruising visitors went in search of a fourth with Hodkinson finding himself one-on-one with Langley who managed to sweep away the danger before Phil Doran fired narrowly over from 40 yards.
Widnes struck an upright midway through the half, Grogan’s effort hitting the woodwork from two yards out after Towey’s deflected shot fell on a plate for the former Marine man, but he could not convert.
The pick of the goals was saved for last with Chris Lomax netting a goal of the season contender. He combined well with his brother George, brought on as a substitute, down the left-hand side with the winger finding the net with a delicious lob from an acute angle that sailed over Langley on its way in.
City of Liverpool claimed a consolation goal 10 minutes from time. Camozzi gave his best efforts to lift the home side following his introduction from the bench and he was rewarded with a goal, slotting beyond Mottram after a neat pass from teammate Karl Noon.
It was too little, too late for the home side, but they enjoyed a decent spell late in the game.
Peterson hit an acrobatic effort wide before Hazlehurst forced a good save out of Mottram.
Widnes were perhaps guilty of being too comfortable as Purps’ skipper Kevin McEllin skied over late on but the visitors already had the three points in the bag.
Widnes have now picked up an impressive tally of 40 points from a possible 42 in the league since the end of November.
Akrigg and Towey’s side have opened up a nine-point gap over third-placed Charnock Richard, who sit level on points with fourth-placed Runcorn Town. Both have five games in hand on Widnes.
Widnes face a Hallmark Security League Premier Division double-header this weekend, travelling to Maine Road on Saturday before hosting table-topping Runcorn Linnets in an El Clasitoll rematch on Monday evening.