Two late goals from Sam Wilkie and Neil Weaver rescued a point for Ashton Town as Widnes blew a 2-0 lead with ten minutes to go after Ben Tollitt had scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season as Monday Night Football came to the Select Security Stadium.
Widnes came into the game in a strong run of form. They had gone four games unbeaten in the league after Saturday’s 1-1 draw away at Irlam. Ashton Town also came into the game in impressive form, having won eight of their last ten matches in all competitions.
It was a slow start to the game, with the home side enjoying large amounts of possession in the opening exchanges, as is was evident that Steve Hill’s side were comfortable with holding on to the ball and being patient when going forward.
However, despite their lack of possession, Ashton looked the more threatening going forward and they had the opening few chances of the game – albeit half chances. The first fell to midfielder Scott Baker who tried his luck from distance. However, his shot failed to test Widnes’ goalkeeper Rob Cork, who was deputising for the absent David Nevitt.
The first real chance for the away side fell to Stephen Milne, who received a brilliant defence-splitting through ball from Neil Weaver. Milne then forced a good save out of Cork, who was solid as he dove at the feet of the advancing Ashton player.
Widnes’ first chance came midway through the first half. Bradley Williams did well down the left to produce a cross towards the back post towards Ben Tollitt, who couldn’t quite connect with the ball on the volley, as the ball trickled out for a goal kick.
It was not long before Tollitt got his next sniff at goal which he duly converted. The man who replaced Graham Molloy in the starting line-up as the lone player up front started and finished the move. Tollitt played a lovely ball over to Alex Davies on the right, who drove past Michael Boyle before delivering a delicious cross that was met by the head of Tollitt to put Widnes 1-0 up with his fourth goal of the season.
Tollitt very nearly doubled his account two minutes later. Joel Douglas broke away from deep within his own-half on the counter attack before playing it wide to Tollitt. He cut inside with quick feet before unleashing a shot towards the top left-hand corner that looked destined to be goal, before Ashton Town’s debuting goalkeeper Gareth Bower managed to turn it over the bar with what was an excellent save.
It was a quiet first half in all honesty, with the next piece of action coming shortly before half time as Ashton had a goal disallowed for offside as Milne turned in a Thomas Jump cross at the back post. It was the correct decision by the assistant referee.
Widnes began the second half well. Douglas once again did well down the right-hand side as he pulled back a cross that allowed Jay Cooper to have a shot that was well saved by Bower.
The home side didn’t have to wait long before they doubled their advantage as moments later it was 2-0. A defensive mishap allowed Cooper to beat Bower to the ball outside the penalty area before playing the ball to Bradley Williams who found Ben Tollitt who stroked the cross home to score his and Widnes’ second goal of the game.
Ashton goalkeeper Bower was injured during the build-up to the goal when he collided with Jay Cooper. The referee called for a stretcher as the ‘keeper had picked up what looked like a leg injury. He was stretchered off to applause as Scott Baker went in goal for the away side as Marcus Cusani replaced the injured goalkeeper.
It didn’t take long for Ashton’s emergency goalkeeper to be called into action. First of all, he made an excellent save to deny Joel Douglas from close-range shortly after the hour mark, before he comfortably held a Ronnie McCarthy effort from distance.
The game sprung into life as time began to wind down. Bradley Williams curled a free-kick from the right just wide of the upright for the home side.
Despite this, Ashton pulled a goal back shortly after the 80-minute mark. Neil Weaver curled a free-kick towards the back post which found a leaping Sam Wilkie, who got his head to the ball to give Ashton a lifeline.
This seemed to give the away side new life, as their strong travelling contingent began to make some noise as the atmosphere at the Select Security Stadium rose. It was very nearly 2-2 as substitute Cusani drilled a low ball across the 6-yard area that was slightly too far ahead of any advancing Ashton attacker.
Widnes then had an attack of their own. Ben Tollitt broke away on the counter-attack before delaying his cross. When he did play the ball, he found Ronnie McCarthy powering forward towards the back post. The Widnes captain made full connection with the ball on the volley, which went just wide of Baker’s right-hand post.
Ashton won a free-kick in a dangerous area after a foul by James Ludgate. Neil Weaver stepped up for the away side and he hit a powerful shot towards the bottom corner that Rob Cork couldn’t keep out despite getting a hand to the effort. Ashton had equalised not long into stoppage time.
The extended amount of injury time allowed both sides to push for a winner, which involved Widnes having a hopeful penalty shout turned down by the referee in what was a good decision. Both sides hung on for a draw though in what was a pretty fair result considering the chances either side had. However, Widnes will feel that they should have won the game as they blew a 2-0 lead; the second time in two games that the home side had dropped two points from a winning position.
Steve Hill was disappointed with his side’s inability to finish the game off. “I thought it was a good game, but we just needed to finish the game off. That’s a two goal lead that we had created that we should have hung on to. It’s like I said on Saturday, it’s a game that will be viewed as two points dropped.” He added, “Three points obviously would have been better today, but we move on and we face Oldham Boro on Saturday, which is a game that we will be looking to win. We will play our best and we will see what that brings.”
In their next game on Saturday, Widnes travel to Oldham Boro, who sit bottom of the NWCFL Division One table with six points from their opening 12 games. Ste Hill’s side comfortably won the reverse fixture in August 2-0.