A James Foley rocket was the pick of the bunch for Prescot Cables as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Widnes as Tom Dean scored on his debut with Jack Goodwin chipping in.
Kevin Lynch’s side continued their form and built on their FA Cup win over Goole AFC on Saturday with another assured performance from back to front. The win takes them to within touching distance of the playoffs in the Northern Premier League West table, after just nine games.
Cables came straight out the traps at the DCBL Stadium and almost took the lead after three minutes through John Murphy. The Bulls striker rose highest and headed goalwards but was denied by the crossbar.
However just minutes later, a clever set-piece caught the Whites sleeping which opened the scoring. Adam Hammill’s low corner found Foley, his first-time effort was blocked on the line but only as far as the debutant Dean who bundled the ball over.
Their lead would’ve been doubled just moments later after Murphy cleverly lifted it over James McCulloch’s foot, he then left Kian Bell in his wake but was brilliantly denied by Owen Wheeler one-on-one. The Widnes goalkeeper, on his 100th appearance, stood tall and saved well.
Kyle Sambor and Goodwin combined shortly after as they exposed the space in behind the hosts. Despite being two-on-one, with Murphy in support, Goodwin opted to go alone but blazed his left-footed effort well over the bar.
Finally after 15 minutes, the visitors doubled their lead. It was the attacking partners again as Sambor sprung the offside trap on the far side, he had enough time to look up and fire across the face of goal for Goodwin to tap into the empty net.
Widnes finally pushed forward after going two goals to the good. They forced the visitors into unforced errors.
Alex McMillan came close to halving the deficit after Cables failed to deal with an in-swinging corner but the striker was sensationally denied by the outstretched Mitch Allen from 12 yards.
Cables were forced to withstand a five-minute period of pressure from the home side but eventually, they weathered the storm. And it was Wheeler again who was called into action.
Hammill tricked his way past the defender and looked for the far post with a dinked cross-cum-shot towards the far post but the Whites number one clawed the ball away.
On the stroke of half-time, it was three. Foley picked up the ball 20 yards out with a sight on goal, the midfielder took one touch onto his right foot and fizzed his effort into the top right corner.
REACTION: ‘It’s a work in progress’ – Prescot Cables manager Kevin Lynch coy despite comfortable Widnes win
Prior to the interval, Sambor and Goodwin both came close. Firstly through the Cables number 11 but saw his effort blocked on the line after Harry Cannon-Noren carved himself a crossing opportunity.
Hammill was in the thick of the action for the second goalscorer’s chance. His low cross across the face of goal was met by Goodwin but it had too much pace on it and the Cables winger couldn’t make the necessary contact to steer it on target.
With the game edging out of Widnes’ reach, their task of reducing the deficit in the second half intensified.
Fisnik Hajdari’s stray pass played Sambor through on goal, Rigby chased back but clipped the heels of the attacker as he went one-on-one with wheeler. Rigby was given his marching orders as the referee was left with no option to send him for an early bath.
The final 45 was largely a non-contest as Cables stayed resolute to wear down the Dave Dempsey’s side. Substitute Dylan Glass created a half-chance but didn’t test Allen from a tight angle.
Match Stats:
Widnes 0-3 Prescot Cables
Goals: 5′ Tom Dean, 15′ Jack Goodwin, 40′ James Foley.
Bookings: 43′ Declan Daniels, 53′ Stephen Rigby (red card); 79′ Liam Hollett.
HT/FT Score: 0-3/0-3.
