His first was stunning long-range effort while his second came in calamitous circumstances as he tackled Dunston keeper Erno Bostyan inside the six-yard area, with the ball going straight in.

The result stretches Widnes’ unbeaten run to five games in the Northern Premier League Division One North/West.

Both sides were in the unique situation of having played out a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture in the North East just five days previously.

And on the back of that contest, co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey handed a first start to Sam Barnes in one change, replacing Callum Humphries at the heart of the Widnes back-four.

Widnes saw plenty of possession in the early exchanges but it was Dunston who created the first clear-cut chance after launching a counter-attack from a hosts’ free-kick, but Danny Ventre made a good block after Mark Fitzpatrick found space in the area.

Jack Elliot then cut inside from the right to fire across the face of goal and wide, but Widnes went in front after 27 minutes.

Ventre – moments after making an important contribution defensively – assisted the Whites’ opener. The stand-in skipper got forward from right-back and was found by Banister via a clever Murray dummy. His cross was a good one and caused all kinds of problems, with Grant-Soulsby eventually putting through his own net.

Widnes struggled to carve out too many opportunities in the first half but were relatively untroubled by a wasteful Dunston side. Fitzpatrick volleyed wildly over after Whites keeper Cameron Terry was caught in no-man’s land before Alex McQuade got himself in the way of a Liam Thear effort.

Terry had to be alert on the stroke of half-time to push a Fitzpatrick free kick away to safety, but that was as close as Dunston came to an equaliser.

The two sides endured a sloppy start to the second-half but Widnes doubled their lead on the hour with a sensational strike from Banister.
He received a pass to feet from McQuade before dribbling away from both Craig Scott and Ursene Mouanda before curling the most precise of right-footed finishes high beyond the stretching a Bostyan.

It was a goal testimony to his touch and technique – what a way to score your first goal since returning to the club!

Two minutes after his spectaculative effort, Banister was on the scoresheet again, but he’ll struggle to score a goal as easy, or as fortunate as this one.

Bostyan had time to clear following a Liam Marrs backpass but he dithered and Banister’s willingness to press from the front was rewarded as he dispossessed the keeper with a touch that took the ball into the back of the net.

From then on, Widnes were in complete control but there was little else to report on before the referee called time on a good day’s work.

The Whites managed the game perfectly to continue their recent upturn in form, moving to within four points of seventh-placed Mossley.

Of course, the league season is now in doubt amidst the Coronavirus outbreak, but co-bosses Akrigg and Towey will be pleased with the position their side have put themselves in.