The versatile ever-present scored in a 2-1 home defeat by Eccleshall - then picked up the Players' Player of the Year award at a presentation ceremony.

"It was well deserved," said boss Hill.

"He never lets you down and has come on a treat this season. I think he picked up the majority of the votes and has had an excellent year."

Danny Lomax claimed the Manager's Player of the Year award after a campaign which saw Widnes finish their First Division campaign in 13th.

"He's only a young lad," explained Hill.

"He got the most improved player award last season and he definitely has the potential to play at a higher level, hopefully with us."

Manager Hill is already planning for next season, Widnes' fourth campaign of North West Counties football, after that last day defeat saw them finish in mid-table.

"We have a lot of potential so I'm disappointed with where we finished," he added.

"I think we needed to be pushing for the play-offs at least because we have a squad which is good enough to reach that level. We have just been too inconsistent. That's something we need to improve next season and hopefully we can do that with some new faces and the good players we already have."

A last minute penalty ended Widnes' season on a downbeat note. The travelling Eagles had taken the lead in the 49th minute through Jack Warren before Carney equalised, lobbing Eccleshall keeper from Benjamin James from 25 yards.

However, despite Widnes throwing everything at the visitors in search of a winner, it was Eccleshall who had the last word as Dean Twigg converted a last-minute penalty to secure the points for the away side, after Widnes' Danny Wilson dragged down Max Linaker in the area.

Defeat ended a promising sequence of three successive wins, their best sequence since earlier in the campaign.