Widnes were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in a keenly contested goalless draw with North West Counties Premier Division side Rylands on Tuesday night.

Despite seeing more of the ball and generally controlling possession, Widnes lacked a cutting edge in the final third against a Rylands side who looked to hit the Whites on the break.

Co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey named a strong side for the clash with the North West Counties Division One South champions, with a first appearance of the pre-season campaign for Josh Klein-Davies, who led a Widnes front-line alongside Lewis Buckley and a trialist.

Elsewhere, fellow new signings Danny Shaw and James Steele both started with the latter enjoying a 70-minute runout, while Fidan Hajdari was named amongst the substitutes as he made his Widnes bow.

Rylands lined up with former Widnes striker George Lomax up front, with ex-Whites pair Kev Pollard and Alex Davies also starting for the Warrington-based outfit.

There was little between the two sides in a first half of attrition, with Shaw heading an early effort wide for Widnes while Lomax had a half-chance cleared off the line by Mike Burke after the Rylands front-man broke clear.

Klein-Davies and Buckley both fired off targets with efforts either side of the half-hour mark, while Owen Wheeler made a comfortable save to deny Rylands joint player-manager Stuart Wellstead.

Towey and Akrigg made eight substitutions at the break as the trio of Shaun Holden, Steele and Buckley retained their places from the first half.

Steele threatened early for Widnes as he went on a marauding run forward, beyond two Rylands challenges before missing the target, while Whites keeper Lex Hancocks had to be alerted to block a Lomax snapshot moments later.

In truth, the game petered out as a contest with neither side particularly working the opposing goalkeeper, with Michael Grogan having Widnes’ best chance – a chipped effort that dropped harmlessly wide of the far-post.

Widnes first half line-up: Wheeler, Roberts, Holden, Ventre, Shaw, Burke, Steele, Brazel, Klein-Davies, Buckley, Trialist

Widnes second half line-up: Hancocks, Phillips, Holden (Burke 67), Hajdari, Herbert, Mooney, Steele (Brazel 72), Grogan, Buckley (Klein-Davies 67), Towey, Ready

Match Preview

Match details

Match date

Kickoff

Team Sponsors