REPORT | Prescot Cables 1-1 Widnes

Widnes were left to rue a sense of injustice after their 1-1 draw at Prescot Cables.

James Steele thought he’d scored what would have proven to be the winning goal 17 minutes from time when he fired a left-footed effort beyond the sprawling Mitch Allen, striking the stanchion on the inside of the post and rebounding back into play.

But referee Louis Smith and his assistant on the near side refused to award the goal, asserting that the ball had instead hit the foot of the post rather than cross the line before ricocheting away from goal.

The visitors were incensed, and rightly so, with a performance befitting three points against the side that had topped the table at the start of play.

A draw was probably a fair result in the end in a game that was far more entertaining that it had any right to be in testing conditions, but few could have argued against Widnes deserving a win had Steele’s effort been correctly awarded as a goal.

Michael Ellison named nine changes to the side that had beaten Burscough last time out in the Liverpool Senior Cup, with only goalkeeper Cameron Terry and Ste Milne retaining their places in the starting XI.

The Whites started well too despite the falling rain on a soaking pitch at The Joseph Russell Stadium.

Ellison’s team adapted far better and quicker than Prescot and came close to a seventh minute opener, but Jay Roberts could only head across the face of goal and wide from Matty Rain’s delivery.

They almost gifted Prescot an opener though when Louis Isherwood’s backpass nutmegged his own goalkeeper but the defender was alert enough to follow his pass and clear it before it crossed the line.

Four minutes later, Widnes were awarded a penalty when Nathan Koehler was adjudged to have fouled Ste Milne in the area.
McGowan stepped up and fired into the roof of the net, leaving Allen with no chance.

Widnes deserved their advantage and really should have made it 2-0 when Will Bell had a free header saved by Allen, but Bell’s blushes were spared by the offside flag.

Steele then had one blocked on the line before a moment of conjecture before half-time.

Terry rushed from his goal to make a defensive header but he got it all wrong and Sam O’Halleron’s follow-up attempt struck the hand of Bell.

The Widnes defender was cautioned despite home protestations and Kyle Sambor rattled the resulting free-kick against the crossbar.

Prescot would have wanted a reaction after the break and they certainly got one.

Alex McNally really should have equalised within 90 seconds of the restart and O’Halleron could only shoot straight at Terry after cutting inside of Jack Byrne.

But Cables had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping them in the game when he brilliantly pushed Milne’s deflected effort away to safety with the ball seemingly destined for the top corner.

Within 30 seconds, Prescot were level.

There was a suspicion of offside when Murphy raced in behind half a yard ahead of Isherwood to collect a through ball before rounding Terry and finishing into the empty net.

Cables had probably deserved their leveller as the game began to open while the playing surface simultaneously began to cut up which made for an end-to-end last 20 minutes or so.

Then came the moment of controversy.

Steele did brilliantly. He managed to keep his footing on the slippery surface as he chopped inside of a sliding Koehler, before superbly curling an effort beyond Allen and seemingly into the bottom corner.

The Widnes man went off to celebrate, Allen looked dejected and Cables defenders in the six-yard area stopped for a moment, only to realise the referee hadn’t awarded the goal with James Devine sweeping away the danger before McGowan nearest to him could pounce.

A sense of bewilderment hung over The Joseph Russell Stadium as Widnes argued their case with the officials while Jay Roberts was cautioned for dissent in the aftermath.

Steele’s strike had clearly not hit the post, but the metal framing on the inside of the goal where the goalpost has been designed to be folded away.

Widnes were angered by the decision of referee Smith, but to their credit, they kept their heads and were unfortunate not to have scored inside stoppage time.

Steele hit a cross-shot from the left that took a wicked deflection before hitting the crossbar, with Allen left with no chance had the ball dropped the right side of the frame of the goal.

1-1 it finished, but it feels like the debate surrounding this game is certain to rumble on.