The Vikings were forced to settle for a share of the points after a hard-fought 10-10 draw with Oldham at the DCBL Stadium.
Allan Coleman’s side overcame a ten-point deficit to secure a valuable point in a fiery Good Friday contest.
Oldham flew out of the blocks in the opening stages, taking the lead through Mo Agoro, who finished acrobatically in the corner after a move from deep.
The visitors continued to pile on the pressure, and they looked to be in for a second with Lukas Mason, but a vital last-ditch tackle from Danny Langtree denied him.
The Vikings grew into the game in the latter stages of the first half and twice looked to be in for tries through Langtree. However, his first effort under the posts was ruled out for obstruction, while another was chalked off after he was deemed offside from a Tom Gilmore kick.
The Roughyeds held on to take a four-point lead into the break and started the second half in similar fashion, crossing early through Jack Johnson for a well-worked team try following another break from deep.
Trailing 0-10, the Vikings stepped up a gear, hitting back through Rhodri Lloyd, who took a short ball from Joe Lyons to stroll under the posts just shy of the hour mark.
With momentum now firmly behind them, Widnes looked set to strike again as debutant Luke Thomas saw the line open up in front of him, but he couldn’t take in Matty Fozard’s pass, and the chance went begging.
The Vikings continued to push and found the leveller after more slick link-up play between Lyons and Lloyd, with the former again providing a short ball for the latter to crash over out wide with less than 10 minutes to play.
A missed conversion from Gilmore set up a tense finish as each team pressed for a decisive score.
Both sides tried for a drop goal in the final stages, Josh Drinkwater for Oldham and Jack Owens for the Vikings, but both efforts fell short.
A late kick from Dean sailed out on the full, giving the Vikings one final opportunity, but Gilmore’s one-pointer was charged down as the hooter sounded, leaving the sides to settle for a point apiece after an absorbing 10-10 draw.
We turn our attention to another trip to the LNER Community Stadium next Sunday as we take on York Knights. Tickets are available HERE.
TEAMS AND SCORERS
Widnes Vikings: Leyland, Butt, Owens, Edge, Ince, Lyons, Gilmore, Murray, Fozard, Reilly, Lloyd, Langtree, Gregson
Interchanges: Bent, Kirk, Hartill, Thomas, Tupaea (18th)
Tries: Lloyd x2
Goals: Gilmore
Oldham: Laulu-Togagae, Agoro, Craven, Turner, Johnson, Dean, Drinkwater, Dudson, Aldridge, E. Chapelhow, Ashurst, Mason, Milner
Interchanges: Farnworth, Lawton, Moran, Baxter, J. Chapelow (18th)
Tries: Agoro, Johnson
Goals: Drinkwater
ATTENDANCE: 2561
