Kev Towey believes that Widnes FC have one of the best strikers in the Evo-Stik League West Division after Ben Hodkinson's sensational hat-trick against Kendal Town last Saturday afternoon.

The Whites ran out 5-1 winners up in Cumbria after Hodkinson's goals were supplemented by efforts from George Lomax and Dale Korie-Butler.

When asked if it was their best performance of the season, co-manager Towey replied: "No. As silly as it may sound, I know we scored five goals and I don't want to take the shine off it for the boys, but it was workmanlike.

"It was in the same mould as the Prescot game (a 2-1 win at the beginning of the month).

"We rolled our sleeves up on a difficult pitch and played some good football in patches and scored some good goals at the right times."

Towey also believes Widnes are now seeing the best of treble star Hodkinson (pictured) after a difficult start to the season on-and-off the field.

Responding to the forward's performance in the bumper victory, he replied: "I was very impressed but I'm more impressed with his attitude over the last four or five weeks.

"Ben started the season slowly and then took a little bit of time out due to personal reasons.

"He felt a little bit disappointed that he wasn't put straight back in but we supported him and eased him back in. I think now he can see why we done that and our reasons. We're certainly getting the best out of Ben Hodkinson, and if we continue to do so for the rest of the season we've got one of the best forwards in the league."

Towey enjoyed a double celebration last week after his wife Ashley gave birth to a baby boy a few days before the win over the Mintcakes.

The joint-boss, however, revealed he was never planning on missing the fixture.

"We had a car on standby!" he laughed.

"If the baby hadn't arrived the car was going to go up as well as the (team) coach so I was still going to the game!"

Widnes play host to Mossley in the league this Saturday afternoon with the match to be played at the club's temporary home at Barnton's Offside Trust Stadium (kick-off 3pm).