REPORT: WIDNES VIKINGS 25-6 BRADFORD BULLS

The Vikings made it three wins on the bounce this afternoon with a 25-6 win over Bradford Bulls at the DCBL Stadium.

A dominant second half saw the Vikings run in four tries to overturn a 4-6 deficit at the break and move level with Bradford in the Championship table.

The visitors started the better of the two teams and struck first through Max Lehmann, who crossed out wide to give the Bulls a 6-0 lead.

After a couple of squandered opportunities, the Vikings hit back through Ryan Ince who gathered a Gilmore pass to score in the left corner.

Another chance went begging before the break as Mike Butt couldn’t take a pass with the line beckoning, which saw the Vikings enter the break trailing by two points.

Ryan Ince struck again early in the second half taking a pass from Jack Owens to touch down before he grabbed his hat-trick with a brilliant acrobatic finish in the left corner.

Two more missed conversions from Gilmore gave the visitors hope at 12-6 but that was quickly snuffed out as Mike Butt gathered a Matty Fozard kick to score a brilliant try in the corner to establish a 12-point cushion.

A drop goal from Gilmore extended the lead to three scores before Max Roberts put the icing on the cake, collecting Joe Lyons’ short ball to cross to the right of the sticks and secure a 25-6 win for the Vikings.

Allan Coleman’s side turn their attention to next Sunday’s clash with Whitehaven at the Ortus REC.

CREDIT: RLPIX.COM

 

COACHES COMMENTS

Head Coach Allan Coleman said: “I’m over the moon. It was a difficult game, a game of chess really in that first half with both teams going set-for-set.

“I felt in the first half we were our own worst enemy but we came in at half time and said let’s cut the errors out and give them nothing.

“I just think we rolled them, and then we just completed so high. They were lost, you could see them looking at each other and I think we just grew from there.

“It was a fantastic second half and I’m really proud of the boys today.”

 

TEAMS AND SCORERS

Widnes Vikings: Roby, Butt, Bardsley-Rowe, Owens, Ince, Lyons, Gilmore, Kirk, Johnstone, Murray, Lloyd, Wilde, Roberts

Interchanges: Fozard, Brooks, Bent, Green, Bailey (18th)

Tries: Ince x3, Butt, Roberts

Goals: Gilmore x2

Drop Goals: Gilmore 

 

Bradford Bulls: Holmes, Lehmann, Myers, Gill, Tindall, Ott, Lilley, Bayliss-Brow, Souter, Pele, Davies, Fulton, Hallas

Interchanges: Appo, Okoro, Makin, Fishwick, Peposhi (18th)

Tries: Lehmann

Goals: Lilley

 

ATTENDANCE: 3065