SEVEN wickets at less than five runs apiece from ex-Lancashire star Steve Titchard aided Widnes' promotion cause.
As the teams either side of them were held to draws, Widnes emphatically overcame Alsager on Saturday.
The 25 points gained from their seven-wicket victory took them 29 points clear of Winnington Park in third place and only 13 points behind league leaders Poynton.
Alsager, reportedly depleted by holidays, elected to bat and had taken the score onto 26 midway through the sixth over, when South, who had plundered three fours off Steve Titchard, smashed a hook to deep square where Steve Walton took an excellent catch. Stancliffe and Wilson advanced the total onto 41, only for Titchard to strike again, Adam Landry juggling but eventually holding onto a catch at slip.
Titchard was now proving a handful on the greenish wicket.
He took his tally to six wickets with another catch apiece to Walton and Landry, while one batsman went lbw and another bowled.
Bappa Mukherjee, who had replaced Dyson (0-27 off nine), added to Alsager's woes and their innings collapsed completely.
The Indian-born offspinner took three wickets for 11 runs from seven overs. With Titchard taking his seventh wicket for 34 runs in 15 overs, the South Cheshire side were all out for 78.
With Tony Hurdley unavailable, Simon Tabb was promoted to open the batting with Phil Catterall.
Tabb got off the mark with a two but was then adjudged lbw, not playing a shot. Adam Landry joined Catterall, who again looked impressive but having hit four boundaries, he drove uppishly and was well caught at extra cover.
Ian Spencer joined Landry and, with little difficulty, they moved the score onto 52. Spencer was then adjudged to have been caught behind, a second controversial decision.
Landry and Titchard made short work, however, of getting the remaining runs, the Australian hitting four fours and a six to finish 35no. Titchard stayed unbeaten on eight.
Widnes host relegation-threatened Grappenhall on Saturday (1.30pm).
On Sunday, they travel to Oulton Park for a quarter-final tie in the Fred Graham Memorial Trophy and they will need to be at their best to conquer one of the better Premier Division sides.
