Widnes edged in Cup thriller
WIDNES finally re l i n q u i s h e d control of the League Cup which they had been holding in trust since 2019, as LSH pipped them at the post in what had been an eventful nine-try thriller at Heaton Moor.
In a game that ebbed and flowed throughout, the contest was another great advert for the quality of the ADM Premier League, with the result always in doubt until the very end.
The weather for the game was dry, bright and sunny, but there was a strong and very awkward wind blowing diagonally down the pitch. There was also a big crowd in attendance which added to the atmosphere and expectation that a potential thriller was in prospect.
And, it was the ‘Moss Laners’ who were quickest out of the blocks, as centre Matty Cunliffe ran a great angle at pace to score the opening try after just seven minutes. Stand-off Wood added the extras to give them a 7-0 lead.
Widnes soon replied, and after wing man Lee Holland had made a break, full-back Andy Owens was able to link up to score underneath the uprights, which he then converted to make it 7-7.
Widnes then suffered a blow, as scrum half Ciaran O’Donnell was carried from the field with a knee injury, before LSH standoff Wood took advantage to reach out and score after stretching the Wids defence out wide.
A key moment in the game came in the 20th minute, when the referee produced a red card, which meant that Widnes would have to play the remainder of the match with only 14 players.
However, that failed to dampen their enthusiasm, and after Jamie Patient had been denied a score because of a forward pass, it was left to Lee Holland to pin back his ears and race home from 60 metres to score a try. Andy Owens was able to add the extras to give his side a narrow two-point advantage at the break.
Things would soon get even better for the ‘redand-blacks’ early in the second period, as that man Holland made another break down centre field before handing on to the supporting Aaron Duggan who was able to stroll in underneath the posts and give Owens the easiest of conversions.
At 21-12 down, LSH could perhaps easily have folded, but instead they were able to roll up their collective sleeves, get stuck in and claw their way back into contention.
On the hour mark, their forwards barged their way over for a try from close range, and with the conversion going over it was game on again.
Not content with that, just five minutes later wing man Dickinson got on the outside of his opposite number to score in the corner to give his side the lead.
In what was developing into a real ‘thrill a minute’ contest now, Kevin Leadbetter then almost regained the lead for the Wids with a show and go, before they were able to regain the advantage again as Andy Owens crossed for his second try.
LSH were not done yet though, and when they shipped the ball out to the left wing, the Wids were left short on numbers which allowed McBride to get over in the corner for a try.
In a thrilling finale, LSH then had a player sent to the sin-bin, whilst Widnes threw everything but the kitchen sink in an effort to get their noses back in front again. Aaron Duggan appeared to get the ball down for a ‘try’ as he reached out but he was deemed to have been held up over the line.
Although, there were further chances, in the end that proved to be the Wids last real opportunity, as their opponentsassisted by the strong wind - were finally able clear their own lines and ultimately claim the spoils.
It was a thrilling finish to an exciting game.
Afterwards, Head coach Andy McIntosh said: “Unfortunately it was not to be for us today. We lost a player to injury early on, and then going down to 14 men, meant it was an uphill task all the way.
“The lads battled well all game – some out of position – and in the end we fell just short. It is a tough one to take, but we have done it tough for last few months now.
“Coming so close in both the league and cup just makes the lads hungrier for success, so we pick ourselves up and go again”.
Widnes: A Owens, L Holland, J Patient, A Leadbetter, G Hatton, J Kenyon, C O’Donnell, M Lawton, P Makles, J Winstanley, A Duggan, S Bryan, T Spencer, M Jones, T O’Neill. Reps: K Leadbetter, J Krause, J Gilhooley, L Wilde, S Whitty
● Despite the season being all but over, Widnes are continuing to play catch up in the league, and will take on West Park at Heath Road on Saturday in a re-arranged fixture.
The original game fell foul of the dreadful weather conditions earlier in the season, but is one that the Wids need to play, and win, in order to secure runners-up spot in the table.
The ‘red-and-blacks’ secured a hard-fought victory at Red Rocks earlier in the season, and will be keen to make it a double in the return fixture.
They will have to do it though without scrum half Ciaran O’Donnell who suffered a nasty knee injury in last weekend’s final.
The game kicks off at 2.15pm.