Widnes Vikings suffered a disappointing 36-12 defeat at Whitehaven in the Betfred Championship on Sunday.
It proved to be a tough afternoon in Cumbria for the Vikings as they fell to their second successive loss.
Max Roberts scored for the first time since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off and Sam Wilde also touched down for his third try in two matches, but it proved to be in vain as the Vikings were well beaten.
Team news
With Jack Owens and Matt Fleming both missing for Sunday’s Round 14 clash, there was a reshuffle of the Vikings backline as Kieran Dixon moved to full-back, with Max Roberts returning at centre and Zach Eckersley also coming in to start.
Shane Grady and Ant Walker came back into the side, with the former starting at second-row and the latter named on the bench.
Story of the game
It was the Vikings who grabbed the opening try of the afternoon, with Max Roberts capitalising on a Whitehaven error to twist inside and out before finding the line.
Haven responded before the half-hour mark as Josh Rourke collected Ryan King’s offload and found his way over, shortly after Matty Fozard had been sin-binned for a professional foul on Curtis Teare.
Back-to-back tries on the stroke of half-time from James Newton and Chris Taylor put the Cumbrian side in control, and they extended their lead seven minutes into the second half as Rourke knocked over a penalty goal to make it 20-6.
Lasarusa Tabu supported Lucas Castle’s break to cross next, with Kieran Dixon shown a yellow card following a fracas after the try was scored.
King brought up the 30-point mark with 15 minutes to go, with a Rourke conversion putting the hosts out of sight.
A determined effort from Sam Wilde reduced the deficit with 72 minutes on the clock, but Whitehaven would have the final say as Teare touched down after the ball was kept alive on tackle five.
Next game
Sunday 18 June – Barrow Raiders (A)
Teams and scorers
Whitehaven: Josh Rourke, Dave Eccleston, Chris Taylor, Curtis Teare, Oscar Doran, Ryan King, Jamie Doran, Lucas Castle, James Newton, Tom Walker, Connor Holliday, Lachlan Lanskey, Lasarusa Tabu.
Interchanges: Daniel Spencer-Tonks, Dion Aiye, Perry Singleton, Ross Ainley (18th man: Guy Graham).
Tries: Rourke, Newton, Taylor, Tabu, King, Teare
Goals: Rourke 6
Widnes Vikings: Kieran Dixon, Ryan Ince, Zach Eckersley, Max Roberts, Joe Edge, Joe Lyons, Tom Gilmore, Owen Farnworth, Matty Fozard, Adam Lawton, Shane Grady, Sam Wilde, Jordan Johnstone.
Interchanges: Aaron Brown, Ant Walker, Lewis Hatton, Olly Davies (18th man: Brad Holroyd).
Tries: Roberts, Wilde
Goals: Gilmore 2
Man of the Match
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