The Vikings number 9 showed troubled the Daisy Hill centre backs all game. Despite the positives the striker did miss a second half penalty to bag what would have been a fully deserved hat trick.

The Vikings welcomed the team from Westhoughton to the Select Security Stadium hoping to continue their eye catching performances which they produced during the second half away at Rochdale Town, and they didn’t disappoint. The home side started brilliantly, peppering the away side’s goal before taking the lead in the 9th minute through Graham Molloy. The goal came from a quickly taken free kick which found Ben Tollitt bursting down the right wing. Tollitt swung an inch perfect ball into the box for Molloy who headed past Jakub Oleksy. There were warning signs before the opening goal when Oleksy saved a Molloy header from a Tollitt cross.

The Vikings perfect start got better 4 minutes later when left back Jordan Hussey was dispossessed by Molloy who looked up to find Paul Cliff bursting through the middle. Cliff didn’t disappoint as he slotted the ball past Oleksy. The home side were on their A game with some easy on the eye attacking play. Hussey struggled against Tollitt for the first 20 minutes of the game, with the winger constantly leaving the left back for dead. This prompted a change for the away side as Hussey was hauled off.

Daisy Hill finally had their first attempt on goal in the 16th minute of the game but the effort from Stephen Solademi was tame and unthreatening to for Vikings keeper Jack Earle. The Vikings were dominant, they had more shots than their opponent as well as the majority of the possession. More clear cut opportunities followed but Tollitt put a shot wide before Molloy made it three. Daisy Hill captain Ben Mee made a fatal mistake on the edge of his own box, the Vikings striker was ready to pounce to fire past Oleksy. The link up play continued to cause a make shift back four problems, this time it what fantastic link up play between Tolllitt and Cliff which put Tollitt through on goal but Oleksy saved brilliantly with his fingertips, tipping the ball onto the bar and away to safety.

Things didn’t start well for the away side after half time as the first of two penalties was awarded for the Vikings. Ryan Mee fouled Tollitt in the box but Molloy on a hat trick smashed the crossbar and the chance was gone. Despite the wonderful team work on show from the Vikings, the game included moments of individual skill, James Thomas showed some astonishing fancy foot work to rid of the defenders before crossing to Brizell but he couldn’t provide the killer touch.

Ryan Mee had a game he will want to forget in a hurry, it was made worse when he tripped Tollitt again in the penalty area, this time Tollitt stepped up and fired the ball past Oleksy to make it four in the 76th minute. The away side came the second team this season to concede 100 goals, showing their defensive problems. Danny Burns had a chance to make it five before full time but he fired his shot straight at Oleksy. Vikings manager Steve Hill said “It’s just nice to get a win under our belts. The lads equipped themselves well in the first 15 minutes of the game and just thought the game was over, but we had another 75 minutes still left to play. Football went out of the window a little bit. Although the win is great, it wasn’t about the result, we want the performance to be right. Overall just made up we got the three points in the end.” They are ending the season is strongly as that is now four points in their last two games before Easter Monday’s away fixture at promotion chasing 1874 Northwich.

Widnes Vikings FC Team: Earle, Davies, Foster, Mitchell, Garvey (C), Carney, Tollitt, Hughes, Molloy, Cliff, Thomas Subs: Burns, Brizell
Daisy Hill Team: Oleksy, Whittaker, Hussey, Flowers, Mee (C), Shemwell, Winstanley, Foster, Solademi, Bullock, Bragman Subs: Allcroft, Disley, Oldham Unused Subs: Vickers, Collier