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Sat 06 Dec 2014 · Division One
First TeamHanley Town
T Mitchell (20'), P Cliff (45')
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Widnes throw away lead to slump to eighth league defeat of the season.
Widnes Football Club29 Dec 2014 - 11:43
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Goals from captain Tom Mitchell and Paul Cliff were not enough for Widnes as a late goal from Theo Stair handed Hanley Town all three points....
whilst condemning the home side to their eighth league defeat of the season.
The defeat marks another case of Widnes failing to win a game after occupying the lead for the majority of the game. It is a loss that was severely damage the playoff hopes of Steve Hill’s side, who will now remain 14th in the table, with the club sitting seven points adrift of an elusive spot in the top six.
The two sides started the afternoon separated by just four points despite the eight places separating the clubs in the league. Widnes came into the game off the back of two consecutive league wins, whilst Hanley came into the game having failed to win in the league since late September.
Hanley Town started the game the better of the two sides, as they tested David Nevitt early. Theo Stair, who started the game with 15 league goals to his name thus far, attempted a shot that was smothered by Nevitt before it could threaten the goal.
It wasn’t long before the talisman was on the score sheet, as he bagged his 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot. Ryan Laughton, who was making his second appearance for Widnes, fouled Jamie Turner in the area with an out-stretched leg. Stair stepped up, and duly dispatched his powerful spot-kick beyond Nevitt.
It was a disappointing goal for the home side to concede, as Hanley worked the ball into the area all too easily as Curtis Price went past Gary Williams effortlessly on the left before delivering the cross that led to the foul.
The away side thought that they’d been awarded a second penalty shortly afterwards. Tom Mitchell appeared to catch Danny Tainton in the area, with the forward taking a tumble. However, the referee deemed that Tainton had dived, and issued him the yellow card.
It was at this point that Widnes began to grow into the game. Joel Douglas did well to turn out of trouble which engineered some space for a cross into the area that Bradley Williams tried to flick towards goal with a back heel attempt that didn’t come off, as it was blocked on the line and subsequently cleared.
It wasn’t long before Widnes equalised. A corner in from the right courtesy of Williams was met by the head of skipper Tom Mitchell, whose ferocious header was too powerful to be kept out. It was a great run to meet the ball from the defender, who scored his second goal of the season.
Widnes then had a massive penalty shout turned down. Paul Carney received a pass from Paul Cliff that managed to split the back four. Carney advanced into the area where he went down under the challenge of Bradley Moorhead as he attempted to knock the ball beyond the on-rushing goalkeeper.
The spell of dominance for Widnes presented an opportunity that really should have been taken by Graham Molloy. A clever flick from Cliff set the forward on his way. However, he let himself down with the finish, as he sliced the ball wide of the post from an acute angle.
Despite Widnes’ dominance, Hanley very nearly went back in-front on two separate occasions. Theo Stair was once again the threat as he managed to work his way into space to head a shot towards goal that was superbly saved by David Nevitt, who reacted instinctively to block the shot.
Nevitt was powerless to block Stair’s next attempt on goal, as the forward opened up some space for a shot that he rifled against the underside of the crossbar. The chances were somewhat of a warning about the dangers that Stair presents, and that the defence had to be on the top of their game to keep one of the league’s top goal scorers quiet.
Widnes’ late first-half dominance was rewarded with a goal on the brink of half time. A great ball from Bradley Williams had Paul Cliff bearing down on goal, with the forward’s initial shot sensationally denied by Moorhead. The ball then trickled along the goal line, with Cliff being the first to react to put the home side ahead as he poked the ball home.
The second half started slowly, with there being a series of half-chances from either side being attempted. As the game approached the hour-mark, Hanley began to increase the pressure as they pushed for an equaliser and eventually a winner.
They attempted to throw on extra firepower, as Josh Hall was introduced in favour of the anonymous Danny Tainton. The change worked wonders for the away side as Hall equalised for Hanley twenty minutes from time. A ball in from the left by Curtis Price fell to the substitute, who placed the ball into the bottom corner with a tidy finish.
You could argue that the goal was coming, and it didn’t look like Widnes would be grabbing the winner as Hanley continued to pressurise the home side. Nathan Jones drilled a shot towards goal that was deflected over the bar.
Josh Hall then had a goal ruled out for offside for Hanley, before Widnes spurned a golden opportunity to win the game, as the ball fell to Graham Molloy in the area, whose tame effort on goal was comfortably gathered by Moorhead.
That chance came back to haunt Widnes as Hanley went in front shortly before the end of normal time and it was that man Theo Stair again, who scored his second of the game in bizarre fashion. The striker managed to somehow evade a Luke Colford challenge before dinking the ball over David Nevitt and into the back of net despite Mitchell’s best efforts to head the ball off the line.
And that was all she wrote in the fixture, as Hanley picked up all three points to cement their place as a playoff contender. For Widnes, the defeat means that they fall back in the race for a playoff spot, as they know sit amongst a plethora of sides who have racked up between twenty and thirty points.
Manager Steve Hill was disappointed with his side’s performance. “It was a tough game. They were very competitive and that’s why they are where they are. I just thought that we were a little bit naïve at times like when we were 2-1 up. We just dropped back and started sitting too deep. If anything, we looked like winning the game on a counter-attack, which we very nearly did. But ultimately, it wasn’t to be.”
Next time out, Widnes travel to in-form Northwich Flixton Villa who have won three of their last four league games, a stretch that included a victory over the previously undefeated Atherton Collieries.
Match Report by Callum Chadwick
The defeat marks another case of Widnes failing to win a game after occupying the lead for the majority of the game. It is a loss that was severely damage the playoff hopes of Steve Hill’s side, who will now remain 14th in the table, with the club sitting seven points adrift of an elusive spot in the top six.
The two sides started the afternoon separated by just four points despite the eight places separating the clubs in the league. Widnes came into the game off the back of two consecutive league wins, whilst Hanley came into the game having failed to win in the league since late September.
Hanley Town started the game the better of the two sides, as they tested David Nevitt early. Theo Stair, who started the game with 15 league goals to his name thus far, attempted a shot that was smothered by Nevitt before it could threaten the goal.
It wasn’t long before the talisman was on the score sheet, as he bagged his 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot. Ryan Laughton, who was making his second appearance for Widnes, fouled Jamie Turner in the area with an out-stretched leg. Stair stepped up, and duly dispatched his powerful spot-kick beyond Nevitt.
It was a disappointing goal for the home side to concede, as Hanley worked the ball into the area all too easily as Curtis Price went past Gary Williams effortlessly on the left before delivering the cross that led to the foul.
The away side thought that they’d been awarded a second penalty shortly afterwards. Tom Mitchell appeared to catch Danny Tainton in the area, with the forward taking a tumble. However, the referee deemed that Tainton had dived, and issued him the yellow card.
It was at this point that Widnes began to grow into the game. Joel Douglas did well to turn out of trouble which engineered some space for a cross into the area that Bradley Williams tried to flick towards goal with a back heel attempt that didn’t come off, as it was blocked on the line and subsequently cleared.
It wasn’t long before Widnes equalised. A corner in from the right courtesy of Williams was met by the head of skipper Tom Mitchell, whose ferocious header was too powerful to be kept out. It was a great run to meet the ball from the defender, who scored his second goal of the season.
Widnes then had a massive penalty shout turned down. Paul Carney received a pass from Paul Cliff that managed to split the back four. Carney advanced into the area where he went down under the challenge of Bradley Moorhead as he attempted to knock the ball beyond the on-rushing goalkeeper.
The spell of dominance for Widnes presented an opportunity that really should have been taken by Graham Molloy. A clever flick from Cliff set the forward on his way. However, he let himself down with the finish, as he sliced the ball wide of the post from an acute angle.
Despite Widnes’ dominance, Hanley very nearly went back in-front on two separate occasions. Theo Stair was once again the threat as he managed to work his way into space to head a shot towards goal that was superbly saved by David Nevitt, who reacted instinctively to block the shot.
Nevitt was powerless to block Stair’s next attempt on goal, as the forward opened up some space for a shot that he rifled against the underside of the crossbar. The chances were somewhat of a warning about the dangers that Stair presents, and that the defence had to be on the top of their game to keep one of the league’s top goal scorers quiet.
Widnes’ late first-half dominance was rewarded with a goal on the brink of half time. A great ball from Bradley Williams had Paul Cliff bearing down on goal, with the forward’s initial shot sensationally denied by Moorhead. The ball then trickled along the goal line, with Cliff being the first to react to put the home side ahead as he poked the ball home.
The second half started slowly, with there being a series of half-chances from either side being attempted. As the game approached the hour-mark, Hanley began to increase the pressure as they pushed for an equaliser and eventually a winner.
They attempted to throw on extra firepower, as Josh Hall was introduced in favour of the anonymous Danny Tainton. The change worked wonders for the away side as Hall equalised for Hanley twenty minutes from time. A ball in from the left by Curtis Price fell to the substitute, who placed the ball into the bottom corner with a tidy finish.
You could argue that the goal was coming, and it didn’t look like Widnes would be grabbing the winner as Hanley continued to pressurise the home side. Nathan Jones drilled a shot towards goal that was deflected over the bar.
Josh Hall then had a goal ruled out for offside for Hanley, before Widnes spurned a golden opportunity to win the game, as the ball fell to Graham Molloy in the area, whose tame effort on goal was comfortably gathered by Moorhead.
That chance came back to haunt Widnes as Hanley went in front shortly before the end of normal time and it was that man Theo Stair again, who scored his second of the game in bizarre fashion. The striker managed to somehow evade a Luke Colford challenge before dinking the ball over David Nevitt and into the back of net despite Mitchell’s best efforts to head the ball off the line.
And that was all she wrote in the fixture, as Hanley picked up all three points to cement their place as a playoff contender. For Widnes, the defeat means that they fall back in the race for a playoff spot, as they know sit amongst a plethora of sides who have racked up between twenty and thirty points.
Manager Steve Hill was disappointed with his side’s performance. “It was a tough game. They were very competitive and that’s why they are where they are. I just thought that we were a little bit naïve at times like when we were 2-1 up. We just dropped back and started sitting too deep. If anything, we looked like winning the game on a counter-attack, which we very nearly did. But ultimately, it wasn’t to be.”
Next time out, Widnes travel to in-form Northwich Flixton Villa who have won three of their last four league games, a stretch that included a victory over the previously undefeated Atherton Collieries.
Match Report by Callum Chadwick
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