An eight goal thriller seen Rochdale Town and Widnes take a point each.

Meanwhile the home side were sitting in the Top 6 after a good start to the season. Matthew Warburton, Callum Smith, Luke Bradbury and Nathan Eastmond netted for the home side while Bradley Williams, Matthew Lennon and a brace from Joel Douglas were on the score sheet for the away side.
Warburton got the goal fest started in only the 4th minute of the game when his header from a corner sailed into the Widnes goal. After going behind early on Widnes came into the game, Graham Molloy and a shot saved by Brobbin before heading a cross from Alex Davies over the bar. Widnes’ equaliser came from a corner when Lennon fired home after 21 minutes.
Two minutes later and the away side were in front, the ball broke for Joel Douglas on the half way mark, and the striker used his pace to get away from the oncoming defenders to round the keeper and slot home. Rochdale tried to find a leveller when Bradbury had an effort just over the bar. But it went from bad to worse for Rochdale as Ludgate found Douglas who went through on goal to slide the ball past the outstretched arm of Brobbin 2 minutes before half time. Hill was impressed with Douglas’ display and said “That has never been his problem. He is always chomping at the bit to get on. He has got lots of enthusiasm and when we took him off it was a tactical change more than anything. He has been doing very well upfront.”

Rochdale came out of traps fighting in the second half and were soon back in the game when Callum Smith found the net on 46 minutes. Soon after Molloy had a shot cannon back off the bar as Widnes look to restore their two goal deficit. But soon the game was all level again when Nathan Eastmond scampered down the right wing to cut inside and fire the ball past Cork from a tight angle. Bradley Williams restored the away sides leads just two minutes later, he smashed a wonderful shot into the top corner of the goal.
The game was wide open with both teams playing attacking football, Tollitt forced a superb double save out of Brobbin before Davies went on a scintillating run, dribbling past two Rochdale defenders before forcing another save out of Brobbin. Molloy then had a chance to sure the game up for Widnes but his close range effort went over. In all the late drama, Rochdale received a penalty in added on time after the referee deemed James Ludgate handled the ball in the area. Luke Bradbury stepped up and sent Cork the wrong way to rescue a point for Rochdale. But Brobbin had to make two more fantastic saves from Tollitt and Ludgate before Rochdale could breathe a sigh of relieve. Widnes manager Steve Hill showed his disappointment at what he feels where two points dropped, he said “Disappointed in the manner we have conceded the last goal, which the referee deems it a penalty. It did hit his hand, there is no getting away from that but how can you get away with something like that. It is his decision at the end of the day. We needed to have killed the game off. Defensive frailties have cost us big time because that was 2 points dropped.”