The Vikings claimed their first Championship win of the season with a deserved 28-14 victory over North Wales Crusaders at the DCBL Stadium.
Allan Coleman’s side battled through difficult conditions before turning on the style in the final quarter to pull clear on a showery afternoon.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring after Widnes failed to deal with a kick in behind, allowing Jordan Gibson to gather the bouncing ball and touch down.
The response was swift, though, as Jumah Sambou finished acrobatically in the corner following some neat interplay between Jordan Abdull and Joe Edge.
Sambou doubled his tally minutes later, cleverly kicking on a loose pass from Abdull before winning the race to ground the ball out wide.
North Wales reduced the deficit to two points on the stroke of half-time when Greg Eden strolled over in the corner from a looping Declan Patton pass.
Crusaders then edged back in front early in the second half, with Luke Forber diving in at the corner after a break from Lloyd Roby.
Widnes rallied impressively in the final third, reclaiming the lead through a textbook hooker’s try from Matty Fozard, before Adam Lawton powered over from close range on his 150th career appearance.
The Vikings put the seal on a hard-earned victory five minutes from time, as Jack Owens delayed his pass to perfection to send Nathan Connell over for the decisive score.
We turn our attention to a huge Challenge Cup clash with Leeds Rhinos at the DCBL Stadium next Saturday. Tickets are available HERE.
TEAMS AND SCORERS
Widnes Vikings: Connell, Ince, Owens, Edge, Sambou, Lyons, Abdull, Murray, Johnstone, Chapelhow, Wilde, Langtree, Gregson
Interchanges: Fozard, McWhirter, Lawton, Bibby, Hall (18th)
Tries: Sambou x2, Fozard, Lawton, Connell
Goals: Abdull x4
North Wales Crusaders: Roby, Brookes, Hatton, Spedding, Forber, Patton, Gibson, Barratt, Eaves, Ioane, England, Foster, Addy
Interchanges: Walker, Moran, Baldwin, Eden, Westwood (18th)
Tries: Gibson, Eden, Forber
Goals: Patton
ATTENDANCE: 4018
