Wids’ shutters go up after early doors try
● leading margin was now seven points.
The red-and-blacks then rang the changes in an effort to reestablish themselves, and were soon rewarded with a further successful penalty from Owens which made the score 17–7 at half time.
Widnes needed a really positive start to the second half if they had ambitions to stifle any possibility of an Ormskirk response, and that was exactly what they got as Mike Jones was found loitering with intent wide out on the wing to cross for his side’s third try.
With Owens again on target from the touchline, Widnes has now suddenly opened up a 17 point gap.
A bout of fisticuffs in midfield then earned both captains a lengthy telling-off from the referee, but on the resumption it wasn’t long before Josh Kenyon’s diagonal kick to the corner again found its way into the hands of Mike Jones who crossed for his second try of the afternoon.
Despite the game now beyond them, Ormskirk continued to push forward, but despite their best efforts, they were now being met by some tigerish Widnes defence who were determined to keep them out.
And, it wasn’t long before a 40 metre dash from Aaron Duggan and Josh Kenyon’s long pass to the opposite flank, released Jamie Patient who raced clear to complete a hat-trick of tries.
The biggest cheer of the day, though, was saved for un-sung second row hero Sam Bryan, who used both size and power to touch down for a rare try at the foot of the posts which offered Andy Owens an easy conversion.
Player of the match Liam Lawton was then denied a score with a foot in touch, before Jamie Patient completed an outstanding
●
● performance with his fourth try on the opposite flank which wrapped up a successful afternoon’s proceedings.
A delighted head coach Andy McIntosh said afterwards: “We didn’t start great today but built into the game. Ormskirk helped us with their indiscipline and we managed to kick on to get a bonus point win.
‘‘We take a break now, but to go unbeaten in 2019 is a record the boys should be proud of, and we are in a really strong position going into the New Year.”
Whilst the First Team put their feet up for a little while, the Seconds and Thirds both find themselves in action.
The Seconds are in Cup action away at Northwich, whilst the Thirds are at home to Waterloo in a re-arranged Division Four West fixture.
Both matches will kick off at 2.15pm.