REPORT | Mossley 2-2 Widnes

Ten-man Widnes fought back from 2-0 down to clinch a late point at Mossley on Tuesday night.

A bright Whites start was quickly extinguished as Ben Richardson fired Mossley ahead after eight minutes.

Ben Halfacre would double the advantage on the half-hour mark as Widnes were punished for wasteful finishing with two clinical finishes.

But the visitors, always in the contest, battled valiantly and reduced the deficit through Lewis Buckley’s first goal for the club 12 minutes into the second half.

This set up a tantalising finish, and despite Danny Ventre being shown a straight red card, Widnes levelled the scores when Jay Roberts’ in-swinging corner was bundled over the line by Michael Grogan six minutes from time.

There was still time for Halfacre to miss a stoppage time penalty for Mossley, ensuring that a valiant effort receiving a fitting reward.

Co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey headed to Seel Park with a Widnes squad hit by a sickness bug. Keeper Owen Wheeler and James Steele both played despite carrying a bug that had ruled Sam Sheen out of Saturday’s loss at Ossett United and left Ben Hodkinson a doubt for Tuesday’s clash.

The Whites made two changes, with Sheen and Keenan Quansah coming into the side for Danny Shaw and Shaun Holden, while Chris Lomax and George Webster were recalled from their dual-registration deals at Burscough and Runcorn Town respectively as Mike Burke (illness) and Josh Klein-Davies (hip) dropped out of the travelling squad.

Widnes burst out of the blocks and edged the early exchanges. Harry Brazel should have done better with a driven effort from the edge of the area after picking up a loose ball from Buckley’s air-shot, but his shot was blazed into orbit.

The Lilywhites’s opener came against the run of play. Quansah sliced a cross that was seemingly heading for a corner but was inadvertently kept alive by a Hodkinson clearance. Mossley duly capitalised, with Halfacre teeing up Richardson to edge Mossley in front.

Hodkinson spurned a glorious chance to equalise moments later, latching on to Buckley’s header with only Josh Ollerenshaw to beat, but the forward could only poke his effort off target.

Widnes had Mossley penned in and fashioned another decent opening when Conor Ready threaded a pass through to Buckley who scuffed his shot high and wide of the upright.

Mossley had to weather the storm as Widnes came again with Ready drilling over after a clever Buckley dummy, before the latter fired a shot straight at Ollerenshaw after good work by Roberts.

The hosts showed glimpses of threat on the counter-attack, namely through former Liverpool forward Adam Morgan, but Widnes looked more likely to net a crucial second goal, with Ollerenshaw equal to another Ready effort.

Wasted chances have been the story of Widnes’ season, and they suffered a sucker punch after 31 minutes as Mossley added a second, with Halfacre striding clear to finish low beyond Wheeler.

Widnes, perhaps buoyed by their previous two meetings against Mossley in the Emirates FA Cup earlier this season, knew that they were capable of a fight back.

In fact, Akrigg and Towey’s side recovered from two goals down to draw at the Halton Stadium back in August, before holding off a Mossley fight back on their way to a 3-2 win in a replay 10 days later.

They rallied and pulled a goal back on the 57-minute mark. Roberts floated a deep free-kick towads the back-post that fell kindly for Buckley (pictured), who showed composure to find the far corner – his first goal for the club after a summer move from Airbus UK.

Buckley’s strike was Widnes’ first goal in 335 minutes of competitive football, as the Whites hauled themselves back into the contest.

Webster and Grogan were introduced for renewed energy and the aerial threat of the latter, but Widnes hopes suffered a blow 17 minutes from time.

Ventre, handed the captain’s armband after Sheen was substituted, slid into a full-blooded challenge of substitute Jes Uchegbulam, catching the winger late. This incensed seven or eight Mossley players who surrounded the referee, who brandished the red card and dismissed the Widnes man.

Despite losing a man, Widnes never relinquished control of the contest, and they were level seven minutes from time.

Roberts swung a deep corner in that crashed against the upright and towards goal, with Mossley appearing to clear the ball off the line, but the linesman on the far side flagged to award a goal, with Grogan claiming a late leveller.

Chris Lomax was brought on to shore up the Widnes backline, but Mossley were awarded a gilt-edged opportunity to win it with a stoppage time penalty.

Uchegbulam’s cross wasn’t dealt with, falling kindly for Ryan Brooke who was felled in the six-yard area, leaving referee Stephen Rushworth with little choice to point to the spot.

Brazel protested his innocence and pointed out that Halfacre had placed the ball ahead of the spot. He received a yellow card, but this perhaps placed an element of doubt in the mid of the Mossley forward, who after a short delay, produced one of the worst spot-kick efforts you’re ever likely to see, smashing his penalty wide of the upright.

This was virtually the last kick of the game, and while Widnes remain four games without a win in all competitions, they have appeared to stop the rot which will provide the Whites with a boost heading into Saturday’s clash at home to Tadcaster Albion.