FOR a long time, it looked as if an early goal would be enough for a Runcorn victory in this Nationwide North relegation struggle.
But in the end, it needed a late strike to clinch three precious points for the Linnets in what may well be their final appearance at Halton Stadium.
There's still some doubt on the issue because their proposed switch to Prescot Cables for the last four home matches of the season has still to be ratified by Conference officials.
However, if this was the last hurrah at Widnes, it was an exciting one as the team's loyal and long-suffering supporters were on their feet to acclaim sub James Lock's decisive 90th-minute strike.
Lock had been sent on, belatedly those same supporters felt, immediately after Bradford had equalised with only four minutes left, when a left-wing corner was returned from the opposite side for Tom Greaves to score from close range.
However, with normal time just about up, Phil Denny managed to get a cross from Matty McGinn from under his feet to set up Lock for a winner.
Runcorn had taken just two minutes to open the scoring with Robbie Moore, normally a central defender, rewarding playermanager Steve Soley's decision to thrust him into an attacking role by hitting home from a left-wing Phil McDiarmid cross.
It had looked as if Run-corn would be punished for their failure to round off some promising approach work, particularly in the first 20 minutes of the second half, until the late winner.
RUNCORN: Thompson, Spearritt, McGinn, B Jones, Robertson, Parle, Taylor, Jack (Willis 74), Moore, Young (Denny 69), McDiarmid (Lock 87). Subs: Carragher, Heenighan.
