Hunslet RLFC 14-28 Widnes Vikings
Hunslet lost out to Widnes Vikings at the South Leeds Stadium after giving their opponents an 18 point start.
From the kick-off the Vikings broke the first tackle and put Hunslet on the back foot. Good defence held them off, but finding themselves in an attacking position moments later Hunslet wasted the chance, being shoved into touch on tackle one.
It was a sloppy start but Widnes had some luck after a loose carry was adjudged to be knocked down. From the attacking play Matthew Fozzard found his way over on, frustratingly, the last tackle. Thomas Gilmore converting 0-6.
Moments later another Widnes break through poor defence sent Danny Langtree in under the posts. 0-12 after only 8 minutes.
Hunslet started to find their feet and Harrison Gilmore went close before Lachy Hannaghan’s kick was a touch too strong. More Parksiders pressure and Billy Jowitt and Keelan Foster challenged the Widnes line, but the Vikings held firm.
20 minutes in and a dropped pass in Hunslet’s own half meant Widnes could attack. Again on the last tackle the line was broke, this time Michael Butt scored in the corner, converted by Gilmore. 0-18
The Vikings now smelt blood and blew a certain try with a four to one overload, then had a try chalked off for a forward pass.
But Hunslet persisted and on 33 minutes after a penalty a superb Greg Eden ball sent Mackenzie Scurr over in the corner unchallenged. 4-18
Foster and Gilmore were running well for the Parksiders but at the break Hunslet trailed 4-18.
The second half started positively for Hunslet. Lee Gaskell kicked a 40/20 and from the ensuing play Lachlan Hanneghan forced his way over. Billy Jowitt converting 10-18 and game on.
Aaron Levy went close and Hanneghan again was unlucky when a neat little kick was plucked out of the air by a Widnes defender.
On 53 minutes Hanneghan made a midfield break and fed Aaron Levy who sent the ball out wide for Coby Nichol to score in the corner. 14-18
Hunslet now had the ascendancy and were unlucky when a diving Widnes defender stopped a Lee Gaskell 40/20.
The game swung from side to side, but on 66 minutes standout player Matthew Fozzard dummied his way over from acting half back stretching Widnes’s lead to 14-24.
Superb ball handling sent Hunslet away on the right hand side. Widnes‘s defence was scrambling, but as Hunslet passed out to the left the ball was dropped and the chance and probably the game was gone.
Widnes wrapped it up on 78 minutes when a good ball sent Michael Butt over for his second try, and although Brad Clavering, Lee Gaskell and Lachy Hanneghan all tried to force a late score Widnes held on to win.
It was frustrating that Hunslet made early mistakes, in the Championship you cannot get away with it. But with Brad Clavering and Kobe Rugless returning from injury and Greg Eden being instrumental they can take positives from large parts of this game.
Lachy Hanneghan won Phoenix Bar supporters Man of the Match and Greg Eden the Tricks of the Trade sponsors Man of the Match. There were also good performances from Harrison Gilmore, Keelan Foster and Ethan O’Hanlon.
Hunslet travel to York Knights nest Sunday (11 May) 4pm kick-off.
Hunslet RLFC: Eden, Nichol, Welham, Jowitt, Scurr, Hanneghan, Gaskell, Fletcher, Berry, Foster, Gilmore, Levy, Clavering. Interchanges: Rugless, Hallas, Syme, O’Hanlon. 18th player: Campbell.
Widnes Vikings: Edge, Ince, Hudson, Owens, Butt, Lyons, Gilmore, Murray, Fozzard, Reilly, Lloyd, Langtree, Gregson. Interchanges: Kirk, Johnstone, Bent, Bennion. 18th player: Bailey.
