Hunslet 0-48 Widnes Vikings
Hunslet had their work cut out hosting an in-form Widnes Vikings on a hot and humid midsummers day.
With recent loanees from Doncaster unavailable, and long term injuries Hunslet were light in the pack and it showed late on as they tired and Widnes scored easy points.
It was a different story early in the game though. Widnes dominated possession and put pressure on the Hunslet line from the off, but The Parksiders held well. Eventually Hunslet’s tactic of playing open football payed dividends as Eddie Battye went close and Mo Agoro was unlucky from a Lee Gaskell kick.
Unfortunately playing open Football invites mistakes and after a knock-on on 15 minutes quick Widnes play from the scrum sent Ryan Ince over in the right corner. Dan Richardson converting. 0-6
Widnes did make errors, but Hunslet couldn’t capitalise, and re-sets were killing The Parksiders defence. After another ‘6 again’ on 28 minutes Mike Butt went in the corner to make it 0-10.
Ben Johnson (on-loan from Hull) was impressive, but slow rucks were hurting Hunslet and after another re-set Connell made it 0-16 on 34 minutes (Richardson converting).
Hunslet’s luck was summed up when a Lee Gaskell kick looked likely to be a 40/20 then took a cruel bounce to go dead. More penalties and Widnes took an easy 2 points on the hooter for offside to lead 0-18 at the break.
Hunslet upped the tempo in the second period and Dan Abram was held up, before Gaskell and Harrop combined only for the ball to not find Watson but the touch line.
Hunslet looked unorganised in attack and scrappy, and on 51 minutes the game was effectively over when Adam Lawton strolled through to score. 0-24
The Parksiders were finding it hard to penetrate Widnes, but in defence they still fought well until Lee Gaskell was sin-binned for descent and The Chemics had a man advantage.
On 65 minutes a knock-on gave Sam Wilde an easy try and 3 minutes later a break in the middle sent Nathan Connell over for his 2nd try. 0-36
Billington benefitted from ‘6 again’ and a tired defence on 75 minutes before Fozard snatched a try on the hooter (both converted by Richardson) to round things off.
Billy Jowitt tried a chip and chase to try register Hunslet some points, but it wasn’t their afternoon. On the hooter The Chemics took the points back to Merseyside. 0-48
Hunslet need to put this one aside, they have a do or die match at Workington next week or they can say farewell to the play offs. Widnes are a top side and they shouldn’t be too disappointed with men missing to lose this match.
Head Coach Kyle Trout said there wasn’t much to commend about this performance, but picking up ‘Tricks of the Trade’ Sponsors player of the match and Phoenix Bar Supporters Player of the Match Eddie Battye was excellent, with Ben Johnson having a good debut also.
HUNSLET – Jowitt, Agoro, Johnson, Harrop, Watson, Gaskell, Abram, Hallas, Berry, O’Hanlon, Gilmore, Graham, Battye, Darcy Simpson, Carr, Ward, Atkinson, Goddard.
WIDNES – Connell, Butt, Owens, Edge, Ince, Richardson, Gilmore, Murphy, Johnstone, Chappelhow, Roberts, Wilde, McWhirter, Fozard, Billington, Bent, Lawton,Taylor.
