Widnes Vikings got their 2022 home campaign off to a flyer with a 70-18 win over Workington Town in Round 2 of the Betfred Championship, scoring 12 tries in an authoritative victory.
Danny Craven and Sam Wilde bagged a brace each, Adam Lawton came on to score a hat-trick, and further tries from Olly Davies, Matty Fozard, Matt Fleming, Tyler Dupree and Brad Holroyd on his debut against his former team resulted in a high-scoring win.
The Vikings celebrated the One for Walshy day in style with a strong crowd of 3,623.
Holroyd opened the scoring with his first touch just three minutes into the tie, chasing a high Matty Smith kick and collecting the ball just ahead of the line to put down next to the sticks.
Olly Davies powered through five minutes later for Widnes’ second of the game after a feed from Fozard.
Joe Edge broke the line shortly after to feed Wilde for his first of the game, the second-rower taking a tackle just ahead of the line but still managing to edge over.
Workington grabbed one back with 25 minutes on the clock, Connor Fitzsimmons finding a gap in the Widnes line to get the newly-promoted side off the mark.
Widnes got their next try with five minutes until the break, Danny Craven dummying before carrying three Workington bodies across the line to put down for his first of the day.
The Vikings extended their lead to 24 points a minute before the half-time hooter, when Eribe Doro offloaded to Fozard on halfway before the hooker gave it to Lloyd Roby and took it back to land under the posts.
Workington reduced the deficit again on the hooter, Hanley Dawson crossing to take the half-time score to 30-12.
Adam Lawton entered the fray at half time and made an instant impact, carrying four men over the line and making up 10 metres after the tackle following a feed from Smith.
Joe Brown got Town’s third of the game after making the most of a scrum 10 from the line.
Widnes responded again as Lawton got over from just ahead of the line, Fozard with the assist again after another strong Doro carry.
Craven grabbed his second of the game on 65 minutes, selling another dummy after a creative offload from Aaron Brown to put the scores to 46-18.
Smith broke the line with a strong carry before an offload out the back to Fleming to get over for his try on 69 minutes.
The Vikings were defending their own try line when Holroyd intercepted and made almost all of the field before Lawton crossed for his hat-trick, Fozard with the try assist once again.
Craven broke through with another dummy with a few minutes left on the clock, feeding Wilde for his second of the game and Widnes’ 11th.
Tyler Dupree topped off the scoring on the hooter, carrying another three men over the line from another Fozard assist to finish the game at 70-18.
Widnes Vikings: Lloyd Roby, Brad Holroyd, Matt Fleming, Joe Edge, Ryan Ince, Danny Craven, Matty Smith, Tyler Dupree, Matty Fozard, Kenny Baker, Olly Davies, Sam Wilde, Aaron Brown.
Interchanges: Eribe Doro, Liam Bent, Adam Lawton, Joe Lyons.
Tries: Holroyd, Davies, Wilde (2), Craven (2), Fozard, Adam Lawton (3), Fleming, Dupree.
Conversions: Edge (11/12)
Workington Town: Oscar Thomas, Alex Clegg, Joe Brown, Ethan Bickerdike, Curtis Teare, Jamie Doran, Carl Forber, Connor Fitzsimmons, Evan Simons, Jake Lightowler, Malik Steele, Caine Barnes, Jordan Thomson.
Interchanges: Declan O’Donnell, Rhys Clarke, Hanley Dawson, John Hutchings.
Tries: Fitzsimmons, Dawson, Brown.
Conversions: Forber (2/2), Oscar Thomas (1/1).
