Barnoldswick Town 6 Widnes 1

BARNOLDSWICK Town produced a stunning performance as they knocked Widnes' 18-game Premier Division unbeaten run for six at the Silentnight Stadium on Saturday.

The expected overnight rain thankfully did not materialise so the game was given the go ahead after a morning inspection.

This was going to be a tough test for the home side after their 4-2 home defeat to Maine Road the previous week.

Town adapted to the heavy ground more readily than their opponents who play on an artificial pitch.

Zack Dale hit the side netting in the first minute after latching onto a ball over the top.

Town were full of attacking ideas and took the lead after 23 minutes.

Dale put a cross in the penalty area which saw Aaron Hollindrake challenge goalkeeper Richard Mottram.

Ben Gorman was first to react as the ball ran loose and slotted it into the net.

The lead was increased after 26 minutes when Andrew Hill powered a shot into the net from the corner of the penalty area after meeting a cross from Dale.

The Widnes players started to argue with each other, and left gaps out wide for the Town forwards to exploit at will.

It was no surprise just past the half hour mark when skipper James Crorken scored with a sweet left-foot shot from just outside the penalty.

To compound matters for Widnes, Mottram made a huge mistake three minutes later when he allowed the ball to slip through his fingers at the edge of his penalty area, and Hollindrake walked the ball into the net.

Dale was unlucky not to make it five as he got clear on the left, but saw his shot cannon back off a post.

Dale picked the rebound up but was unable to put the ball into the net as he was tackled by two defenders.

Widnes were forced to make two substitutions at the start of the second half, Jay Roberts and George Lomax who were both injured right on half-time being replaced by Jack Banister and Ben Hodkinson.

If the visitors were hoping to get back in the game in the second half Dale put paid to such ambitions.

He cut in on the Widnes left and his shot across Mottram nestled in the far corner to put Town five up after 48 minutes.

Widnes did have their chances. Ben Hodkinson saw a shot clip the top of Jordan Gidley’s crossbar on the hour after having had a goal ruled out for offside.

The visitors did pull a goal back a minute later when Michael Grogan scored from the edge of the Town penalty area with a low shot past Gidley.

Town’s five-goal advantage was restored three minutes later when Hollindrake scored from three yards out.

It crowned a great afternoon for Town's whose hopes of building on the success were washed away on Monday when their home clash with Padiham was washed out.