Widnes Vikings head coach John Kear has praised the resilience and adaptability of his squad following their impressive 38-6 victory over Swinton Lions.
The Vikings kicked off Day 1 of the Betfred Championship Summer Bash with a dominant seven-try victory over the Lions.
The Round 12 clash saw the return of influential duo Tom Gilmore and Shane Grady, while both wingers grabbed a double as Ryan Ince and Kieran Dixon continued their excellent start to the 2023 campaign.
“What really pleased me was the manner in which we got back to winning ways,” Kear said post-match.
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“We were down on middle unit forwards, with Callum Field failing his fitness test [when he arrived in York]. This is a resilient group and they can handle setbacks, and I thought they were really good throughout the 80 minutes.
“Defensively I was really happy with them. We were a bit scruffy at times with ball-in-hand, especially on the opposition line, but you can’t argue with a dominant display and a 38-6 win.
“I was pleased with how controlled we were as a team and how we stuck at what we set out to do, our game plan, for the full 80 minutes.”
Kear was also full of praise for the impact of the returning Gilmore, who bagged four assists and produced a stand-out display in his first appearance since Round 1 – also at York’s LNER Community Stadium.
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“Today, you probably saw the difference that Tom Gilmore makes, and the control we had throughout,” Kear added.
“I think he’ll make a significant difference, not only in our general play but also kicking from the tee.
“It’s our first ever win at the Bash, and I set them that little target. To do it in such style, I’m really pleased.”
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