Joe Edge scored a hat-trick and five goals as Widnes Vikings got their 2023 pre-season campaign underway with a 46-6 win at home to Rochdale Hornets.
The Vikings ran in nine tries including Edge’s three, one of which was the try of the match as he finished off a Matt Fleming break through the middle from Ant Walker’s offload.
126 days have passed since the Vikings rounded off the 2022 Championship season with a win away at Bradford.
Team news
With three pre-season friendlies for John Kear to get a look at his full squad, there was no Danny Craven and Tom Gilmore, with Jack Owens starting alongside Joe Lyons in the halves. Jordan Johnstone made his return to Vikings colours off the bench, while the home fans got their first look at no fewer than six new signings, including Kyle Amor, Ant Walker and Ryan Millar.
Rochdale named Widnesian Joe Purcell at full-back, having signed him from Cornwall, while former Widnes development squad member Sam Haynes was named on their 11-man interchange bench.
Story of the game
League 1 side Rochdale enjoyed the first two sets of possession after a late tackle on the kicker gave them the first penalty of the match, though Widnes stayed firm in what turned out to be a rare visit to the home side’s try line.
It took seven minutes for Widnes to open the scoring, shifting the play to the left for Fleming to skirt through and touch down in the corner.
The left side proved fruitful again 10 minutes later when Edge got over for his first score, getting on the outside of his man and taking a few with him over the line.
There were first appearances in Widnes colours for Ant Walker and Lewis Hatton as they became the first home interchanges of the match, and Walker took in three carries in his first set and nearly got a try off a crash ball, only to be held up.
Matty Fozard darted out of dummy half to help create the third try, with Will Evans on his debut putting Ryan Ince sliding in at the corner, though Jack Owens failed with a third consecutive tough conversion.
Two more tries followed before the break as Widnes made their pressure tell. Shane Grady laid the platform for his own try on the half hour, bursting through the line off a short pass from Fleming and finding Joe Lyons with the offload on his inside. Although Lyons was pulled down short of the line, Grady was able to crash over next play.
A short ball from Jack Owens then put Olly Davies over and Widnes led 24-0 at the break.
Back-to-back tries brought Edge his hat-trick by the time 10 minutes had passed in the second half. A short kick from Lyons sat up for him for a simple put down and from the kick-off, an offload by Walker sent Fleming away and he opted to ignore Owens on his right shoulder and go left, finding Edge with a long pass for the centre to take it the remaining 30 metres to the corner.
For a brief spell, Widnes threatened to run riot as Max Roberts, who was brought on at half-time, was the beneficiary from quick hands by Owens and Grady on the last tackle to send him away and momentum took him over the line.
But only one more home try would follow, for Ollie Brookes, before Rochdale managed to break their duck when Tommy Porter squeezed over from inches out from dummy half.
Scoring sequence
- 7 – Widnes try – Matt Fleming – 4-0
- 17 – Widnes try – Joe Edge – 8-0
- 25 – Widnes try – Ryan Ince – 12-0
- 30 – Widnes try – Shane Grady – 16-0
- 31 – Widnes conversion – Joe Edge – 18-0
- 37 – Widnes try – Oliver Davies – 22-0
- 38 – Widnes conversion – Joe Edge – 24-0
- Half time – 24-0
- 48 – Widnes try – Joe Edge – 28-0
- 49 – Widnes conversion – Joe Edge – 30-0
- 50 – Widnes try – Joe Edge – 34-0
- 55 – Widnes try – Max Roberts – 38-0
- 56 – Widnes conversion – Joe Edge – 40-0
- 69 – Widnes try – Ollie Brookes – 44-0
- 70 – Widnes conversion – Joe Edge – 46-0
- 74 – Rochdale try – Tommy Porter – 46-4
- 75 – Rochdale conversion – Cian Tyrer – 46-6
- Full time – 46-6
Sponsors’ Man of the Match
Sponsor Terry Rigby’s Rugby Family chose Matt Fleming as Man of the Match. Fleming, who has been handed the number three shirt for the 2023 season, played 70 minutes at full-back, got the first try of the match and played a big part in the pick of the tries which was eventually scored by Joe Edge.
We’ll be running a separate online fans’ vote for Man of the Match during games this season too.
Next game
Sunday 22 January – Oldham (A) – 3pm kick-off
Teams and scorers
Widnes Vikings: Matt Fleming, Ryan Ince, Will Evans, Joe Edge, Brad Holroyd, Jack Owens, Joe Lyons, Owen Farnworth, Matty Fozard, Kyle Amor, Adam Lawton, Shane Grady, Liam Bent.
Interchanges: Jordan Johnstone, Oliver Davies, Callum Field, Lewis Hatton, Oliver Brookes, Ryan Millar, Max Roberts, Will Tilleke, Ant Walker.
Tries: Matt Fleming, Joe Edge 3, Ryan Ince, Shane Grady, Olly Davies, Max Roberts, Ollie Brookes
Goals: Joe Edge 5
Rochdale Hornets: Joseph Purcell, Cian Tyrer, Daniel Harrison, William Cooke, Daniel Nixon, Jack Mallinson, David Hewitt, Zach Braham, Aiden Roden, Benjamin Killan, Daniel Brewin, Duane Straugheir, Anthony Boardman.
Interchanges: Cameron Berry, Jack Arnold, Toby Brennan, Ethan O’Hanlon, Ben O’Keefe, Tommy Porter, Owen Blackwood, Andrew Clarke, Luke Forber, Jack Gatcliffe, Sam Haynes.
Tries: Tommy Porter
Goals: Cian Tyrer
Join us in 2023! Season tickets are available to buy!
