Vikings hold leaders in best of season display

Apr 12 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

A LATE try from Widnes winger Gavin Dodd earned the Vikings two valuable points to lift them from the bottom of the Co-operative National League One table.

Dodd’s 72nd-minute effort was just what the Vikings deserved as they recorded by far and away their best performance of the season against league leaders.

Tim Hartley, Widnes’ usually reliable goal-kicker, had the chance to take all three points with the conversion attempt but he just pulled it to the left of the upright.

Salford’s impressive stand-off Stefan Ratchford and ex-Widnes number seven Richard Myler had two last-gasp attempts at drop goals but they were not even close and Widnes did enough to hang on.

Widnes played some sublime rugby and they deserved the 8-6 lead at the break after Jim Gannon’s 20th minute try and two goals from Hartley.

Salford’s only points of the half came from an Andrew Brocklehurst try and a 40th-minute penalty from Andy Ballard.

City Reds started the better in the second period and they converted pressure into points as Robbie Paul and Ratchford began to click.

Ballard darted over out wide to give Salford the lead and when Scott Yates misjudged a towering Ratchford bomb Jordan Turner was on hand to pick up the pieces. Widnes’ could have caved in as City Reds looked to kick on but Mark Smith, Bob Beswick and John Duffy gave the Vikings a huge lift with some excellent plays before the outstanding Danny Hill stretched out to score.

Hartley missed the conversion but Widnes played percentage rugby which was enough to mount a frantic late attack.

With time ticking away Paterson launched a high hanging bomb to the Salford left flank and Dodd out jumped Phil Joseph to touch down for Widnes’ equalising try. The Vikings could have won it late on and knocked over a one-pointer but Smith chose to run the power play on the final tackle.