REPORT | Widnes 0-3 Chasetown

Widnes fell to a heavy 3-0 defeat to Chasetown at the Offside Trust Stadium on Saturday.

The Whites had the better of the first-half chances but ultimately a lack of quality in front of goal came back to haunt them.

Chasetown capitalised in the second half with Daniel Cocks netting a 67th minute opener before a late Thomas Hill brace condemned Widnes to a third defeat in their previous four league games.

Co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey made one change to the side that had earned a hard-fought point at high-flying Trafford last time out as Michael Grogan returned to replace the unavailable Kev Pollard.

Grogan was involved in an early talking point. Chasetown’s William Whieldon found himself in behind the Widnes backline only to be dragged back by the former Marine man, who was perhaps fortunate only to be cautioned by referee Stuart Morland.

It was a lively opening to the match, with Widnes threatening early with George Lomax testing Curtis Pond with a shot on goal, before Sean Myler skied an effort over moments later.

Chester loanees Rhain Hellawell and Matty Waters carried Widnes’ main threat, but despite a number of good deliveries, the Whites struggled to penetrate the Chasetown back-four.

Grogan forced a save out Pond on the half-hour mark after a good Widnes move before Chasetown skipper Ryan Wynter produced a crucial intervention to clear Hellawell’s delicious cross into the area.

Waters twice went close for Widnes late in the half. The youngster would skew a Myler cross off target before testing Pond with a good effort minutes later.

Chasetown carried more of a threat in the second half, perhaps sensing that a first league win since September was very much within their grasp.

Whieldon would arrow an effort over from an early counter-attack but Widnes would go close to breaking the deadlock on the hour-mark, but Ben Hodkinson could only shoot straight at Pond after finding himself the wrong side of Wynter.

Towey and George Webster were introduced from the bench as Widnes went in search of an opener, but it was Chasetown who crucially broke the deadlock as Cocks nipped in ahead of the on-rushing Owen Wheeler to tuck the ball home into an empty net.

The Scholars would double their advantage 10 minutes later. Grogan lost possession in midfield allowing Chasetown to break through Hill, who despite seeing an initial effort hit the post, and Jazz Luckie’s follow-up too bounce back off the woodwork, managed to bundle the loose ball over the line.

Widnes offered little prospect of getting back into the game, and the visitors lead grew further when Hill raced clear in acres of space only for Wheeler to make a good block but the ball ricocheted fortuitously against the Chasetown man and into the back of the empty net.

Towey and Akrigg’s men couldn’t find an answer and Chasetown left the Offside Trust Stadium with only their second win of the season.