Match Preview

Widnes FC's third pre-season fixture takes place tonight against West Cheshire First Division outfit Vauxhall Motors at Rivacre Park.

Danny Meadowcroft and Brian Pritchard's side will take to the field in Ellesmere Port as preparations continue for their Hallmark Security League First Division opener away at Prestwich Heys on Saturday 6th August.

Vauxhall Motors, managed by Anthony Wright, concluded their league season with a 4th-placed finish, and will prove to be another test for Widnes at the midway point of the visitors pre-season schedule, with games to follow against Knutsford, Warrington Town and Halebank.

Founded in 1953, The Motormen joined the North West Counties Football League for 1987/88 season. However, Motors eventually resigned from the league and returned to the West Cheshire League, before gaining promotion back to the NWCFL during the mid-nineties.

The 1999/00 season saw the club reach the semi-finals of the FA Vase and become Champions of the NWCFL, earning promotion to the Northern Premier League.

By 2004, Vauxhall became founder members of the Conference North where they remained until 2014. In March 2014, the club announced its intention to withdraw from the Conference North due to "ever-increasing costs" leaving the club with no alternative but to return to the West Cheshire League to stabilise and rebuild once again for the future.

Widnes' pre-season has begun with two excellent results. Widnes held National League North side Altrincham to a 2-2 draw, before impressively thrashing Hallmark Security League Premier Division side Congleton Town 5-0.

Speaking after Saturday's victory, the Joint Managers declared that pre-season is about progression.

Meadowcroft said: "We can't do too much, too soon, because that's when you start picking up niggling injuries.

"It's all about progression. If we keep progressing in the right way, and we look after the players and they look after themselves, which is the main thing, then injuries will hopefully become a minimum.

"The less injuries that you have, and more of a settled side, that's key for everything."

Pritchard added: "I know the lads hate pre-season, they hate the running but they're getting fitter than they have been for a while.

"Those fitness levels have shown from what we've seen from them already, and we'll keep going with that and it won't stop.

"It's down to them to look after themselves as Dan said. You've got to prepare yourself correctly, and if we can get players to do that week in, week out, we won't be far away."

Vauxhall Motors are offering free admission to supporters wishing to attend the game.

For travelling supporters wishing to attend the game, the address is as follows.

Rivacre Park
Rivacre Road
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire
CH66 1NJ

Live text match updates will be available on our official Twitter account - @Widnes_FC - with a match report and reaction from the management team to follow on the website.