Widnes moved four points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League West as they demolished high-flying Congleton Town 5-1.

The Whites raced into a seventh minute lead when Harry McGee scored a towering header and it was soon 2-0 when James Steele fired home after 18 minutes.

Peter Williams pulled a goal back for the visitors but Jack Walls quickly restored Widnes’ two-goal advantage shortly before the break.

Congleton were enduring a torrid afternoon made worse when Shaun Brisley was sent off and Widnes put their opponents to the sword with two further goals.

Sean Miller netted a sensational free-kick and substitute Dom McGiveron added a fifth 13 minutes from time to seal a thumping home win, ending the visitors’ remarkable 16-match unbeaten run in the process.

Manager Michael Ellison made two changes to his side with Steele and Jack McGowan earning recalls ahead of Tom Peterson and Jacob Holland-Wilkinson, who both dropped to the bench.

While the hosts enjoyed a convincing victory, things could have gone differently had referee Daniel Hitchell seen a Niall Battersby foul differently within the game’s opening 90 seconds.

The Widnes defender never really dealt with a hopeful pass forward and once the ball was allowed to bounce, Max McCarthy stole possession and was tripped inside the D by Battersby’s swinging boot.

Congleton bayed for a red card but were left disappointed when Battersby was shown a yellow card, with Walls suitably positioned to cover any goalscoring opportunity.

The resulting free-kick was hit straight at Mark Halstead, and Widnes never looked back.

They quickly took the lead when Miller flighted a delicious cross into the area with his weaker left-foot where McGee stole a march on Owen Morris to emphatically head home the opener.

Three points separated these two sides at kick-off with Congleton sitting in third behind leaders Widnes and Vauxhall Motors, who had moved above the Bears with victory at Hanley Town on Friday night.

The Whites edged October’s reverse fixture and they quickly seized the initiative at the DCBL Stadium, doubling their lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Miller was again involved, quickly receiving a throw-in to feet but brilliantly picking out Steele on the far side with a pass that immediately put Marco Fregapane on the back foot.

Steele did the rest. His first touch was excellent and he turned Fregapane inside out before firing inside of Craig Ellison’s near post to make it 2-0.

Widnes deserved their lead too and it took an excellent save from Ellison to prevent skipper Ste Irwin from making it three; his 25-yard effort was tipped over.

Battersby had a shot blocked after good work by his central defensive partner Louis Isherwood as Widnes scarcely gave their opponents an inch.

But Congleton pulled a goal back with their first real sight of goal eight minutes before half-time.

George Sankey engineered half a yard for a cross towards the back-post where Williams had peeled away from his marker to hook a shot against the upright and in, leaving Halstead with no chance.

This offered Congleton a route back into the game but Widnes weren’t interested in entertaining a fightback.

Moments after Steele had forced a good save out of Ellison, the Whites restored their two-goal cushion.

William Arnold was loose in possession and he was quickly pressed by Irwin who stole the ball back and drove forward for Widnes.

He delayed just enough to give Walls time to steam into the area and rifle Irwin’s cutback into the bottom corner – his second goal of the season.

Widnes had blitzed their way to a deserved lead at the break and Congleton manager Richard Duffy made two half time changes in a bid to stem the Whites’ dominance.

But any hopes of a Bears comeback were deflated seven minutes into the half when Brisley tussled with and hauled Steele down off the ball during a Widnes breakaway, and he was promptly dismissed by referee Hitchell.

Duffy brought himself on at centre-half as Congleton sought to limit any further damage but a fourth Widnes goal always seemed likely.

McGee had fired just wide on the hour after gliding past three Bears defenders and when Ben Rydel was fouled by Williams on the edge of the penalty area, there was a sense of anticipation as Miller stood over the free-kick.

And the Widnes talisman duly delivered, whipping a gorgeous effort into the top corner, leaving Ellison sprawling despite opting for goalkeeper’s side.

Widnes made it five with a free-flowing team move that involved 39 passes in the build-up to the goal.

From a Halstead goal-kick, the Whites kept possession for over two minutes, toying with Congleton’s 10-men before Rydel upped the tempo with a ball into the channel for substitute Holland-Wilkinson.

It was quickly moved inside from there where Miller teed up McGiveron to smash home and add further gloss to this already impressive scoreline.

Holland-Wilkinson thought he’d added a sixth seven minutes before the end, but he was flagged offside.

This emphatic victory outlines Widnes’ title credentials as they moved on to 56 points from 26 games, four clear of second-placed Vauxhall who have a game in-hand, ahead of a trip to Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday.

Widnes: Halstead, Walls, Rain, Battersby (O’Brien 65’), Isherwood, Rydel, Irwin (Williams 79’), McGee (Holland-Wilkinson 71’), McGowan (Peterson 73’), Miller, Steele (McGiveron 61’)

Congleton Town: Ellison, Fregapane, Morris (Duffy 55’), Williams, Brisley, Chadwick, Sankey, Arnold (Garner-Knapper 46’ (Porter 71’)), McCarthy (Hampton 79’), Hartshorn, Needham (Gilliam 46’)