The Vikings suffered their first defeat of the season this afternoon, 28-20, to the Batley Bulldogs at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium.
A late flurry from the hosts saw them score three tries in the final 10 minutes to overhaul an eight-point deficit to secure the two points.
The Vikings started the brighter of the two sides and raced into a 12-0 lead. Matty Fozard burrowed over first from close-range, before Rhys Williams finished off a neat move down the right.
Batley hit back just past the 20-minute mark when Jack Render crossed in the right corner to cut the deficit to six at half-time.
The Vikings extended the lead to eight thanks to a Tom Gilmore penalty early in the second half but the hosts responded once again as Joe Arundel took a short pass to crash over.
Max Roberts crossed out wide with 15 minutes to go to re-establish the Vikings’ eight-point cushion but it wasn’t enough as a barrage of pressure from the Bulldogs saw them cross for three tries late on to snatch the points.
The first try came from Elliot Kear as he took a looping pass to score out wide before a brace from Brad Martin sealed a 28-20 victory for the hosts.
We turn our attention to a massive derby clash with Warrington Wolves at the DCBL Stadium in the Challenge Cup this Saturday. Tickets are available HERE.
TEAMS AND SCORERS
Batley Bulldogs: Butterworth, Render, Burton, Greensmith, Kear, White, Woods, Brown, Parsons, Martin, Arundel, Manning, Moore
Interchanges: Leak, Ward, Chitakunye, High, Dean (18th)
Tries: Martin x2, Render, Arundel, Kear
Goals: Woods x4
Widnes Vikings: Owens, Williams, Fleming, Roberts, Ince, Patton, Gilmore, Murray, Fozard, Reilly, Lloyd, Langtree, Bent
Interchanges: Lannon, Bennion, Doolan, Wood, Gregson (18th)
Tries: Fozard, Williams, Roberts
Goals: Gilmore x4
