Widnes Vikings secured a club-record victory on Sunday afternoon, running out comprehensive 116-6 winners against North Wales Crusaders in the Betfred Championship.
The Vikings ran in 20 tries at Stadiwm CSM, with four players scoring three tries or more.
It was also a record-breaking afternoon for half-back Danny Richardson, who amassed the most individual goals in a game for Widnes (18), and the most individual points in a game (48).
The Vikings opened the scoring after just three minutes when Matty Fozard found a line break and handed off to Kieran Taylor, who crossed under the posts.
By the 10-minute mark, Allan Coleman’s side were three converted tries to the good, thanks to Mike Butt and Danny Richardson.
The Vikings further consolidated their advantage three minutes later when Fozard received an inside pass from Jack Owens and raced over.
Crusaders then managed to hold their own for a short period, but it didn’t stop Widnes adding four more scores before half-time – two tries from Frank Sergent, and additional scores from Butt and Richardson.
Then began what was a relentless second-half display from the Vikings. Nathan Connell shifted his way through the Crusaders defence and handed off to Sergent, who was able to stroll in at the corner for his hat-trick.
Tries followed from Owens and Danny Langtree to give the Vikings a 62-point lead with around 30 minutes still on the clock.
Max Roberts was the next player to add his name onto the scoresheet, taking an inside pass from Deacon Connolly and racing under the posts.
That was quicky followed up with another score when Lewis Hall took a hand-off from Fozard and ran the ball in for a try.
The Widnes scoring spree was showing no sign of slowing up, Richardson with his third, and more tries from Roberts and Owens to bring the score up to 92 and surpassing the club’s all-time winning margin, set against Coventry Bears (90-0) back in April 2018.
Nathan Connell then got his first of the afternoon as Tom Gilmore successfully chased down his own kick and handed off to Connell to stroll in to score.
After spending the majority of the game under the pump, Crusaders did get themselves on the board when Joe Bradley intercepted a Widnes pass to race away for a try.
Connell then added two more tries to complete an eight-minute hat-trick, before Butt rounded off the scoring for the afternoon to take his own try tally up to three.
Match highlights
Teams and scorers
North Wales Crusaders: Fairhurst, Jacobson, Welham, Littler, Bradley, Horn, Fisher, Terrill, Fernley, Pollec, Dawson, Thornton, Clavering. Interchanges: Ruddy, Watson, Wood, Shields.
Tries: Bradley
Goals: Bradley
Widnes Vikings: Connell, Butt, Owens, Connolly, Sergent, Richardson, Gilmore, Chapelhow, Fozard, Houghton, Taylor, Wilde, Gregson. Interchanges: Roberts, Hall, Langtree, Lawton.
Tries: Taylor, Butt (4), Richardson (3), Fozard, Sergent (3), Owens (2), Langtree, Roberts, Hall, Connell (3)
Goals: Richardson (18)
Match reaction
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