REPORT | Colne 2-3 Widnes

Substitute Michael Grogan scored twice as Widnes came from behind to beat Colne 3-2 at the Sovereign Play Stadium.

Colne raced into a first-minute lead through Sefton Gonzales in a first half marred by a 20-minute delay after referee Darren Brown pulled up with a calf injury and couldn’t continue.

But three goals in 15 second-half minutes turned the game on its head. Danny Shaw levelled from Jay Roberts’ 66th-minute corner, and substitute Grogan netted the first of brace 10 minutes later.

Grogan, without a goal since February, netted his second eight minutes from time to already match his tally from last season, and although an Aidan Chippendale penalty two minutes later set up a tense finish, Widnes held on against the Reds who had Brad Knox sent off late on.

Co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey made two changes to the side beaten at home by Whitby Town in the FA Cup last time out, with Roberts available again at right-back to replace Danny Ventre who dropped to the bench.

Elsewhere, Lewis Buckley was recalled to spearhead a Widnes front-line in place of Josh Klein-Davies who was also named amongst the substitutes.

The Whites made the worst possible start. Billy Hasler-Cregg’s effort moved in mid-flight with Owen Wheeler only able to make a parried save with Gonzales reacting quickest to turn home an early opener.

Widnes settled down but suffered a blow when defender Keenan Quansah limped off with an ankle injury after only 18 minutes, with Joe Herbert introduced to partner Shaw.

Any flow of play was interrupted when referee Brown pulled up with an injury, leading to a lengthy stoppage with one of the assistant referees taking over as referee after a spectator was found to run the line.

The delay led to both sides resuming lacking sharpness, with the remainder of the half feeling a bit flat. Neither side particularly threatened, but Widnes did end the half strongly with Buckley and Ben Hodkinson spurning half-decent chances.

The Whites carried their momentum into the second half and enjoyed a decent spell. James Steele curled a free-kick from a good position just over, while Hodkinson engineered a decent opening, cutting inside from the left only to be denied by Hakan Burton’s outstretched boot.

Grogan was introduced on the hour-mark in place of Conor Ready in a change that eventually proved pivotal, and the Whites were soon level.

Roberts floated a delicious corner into the area with the towering Shaw rising highest to power a header home to equalise.

That handed the impetus to the Whites. The sloping hill at Colne’s Holt House home left Steve Cunningham’s penned in and Widnes duly capitalised with a second 14 minutes from time.

Steele teed up Roberts to whip a venomous cross towards the penalty spot, where Grogan was on hand to guide a magnificent glancing header into the bottom corner, with keeper Burton well-beaten.

Grogan had only scored six goals in 58 appearances for Widnes since his November 2017 debut, and the former Marine man was in dreamland as he found the net for a second time on the 82-minute mark.

Colne were powerless to stop Widnes’ aerial threat, with Shaw again rising highest to help a Buckley free-kick on, with Grogan left unmarked to turn home from close-range.

It seemed the Whites would cruise to an important victory, but Colne were afforded a lifeline when they awarded a penalty six minutes from time which substitute Chippendale converted despite his spot-kick squirming home after Wheeler tipped the ball on to the post.

That set up a tense finish, but Colne were reduced to 10-men when substitute Knox pushed Herbert in the face, shown a straight red card for violent conduct.

Into stoppage time, Colne launched a late onslaught but barely summoned a chance with the immense Shaw and Widnes backline routinely tidying up defensively to hold on for an impressive three points.