Widnes crush Featherstone in a late season surge

Aug 11 2008 by Ian Cheveau, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Vikings put themselves in a position to make a late assault on the Co-operative National League One play-offs after they held off a late surge from gutsy Featherstone Rovers to clinch victory.

Anthony Thackeray, who is being strongly linked with a switch to Widnes next season, was the star of the show for Rovers and was unlucky to be on the losing side.

As was Loz Wildbore who scored a scintillating try and was a thorn in Widnes’s side.

Rovers took the lead after nine minutes when Stuart Dickens landed a penalty from 20 metres, but Widnes got their noses in front after Jim Gannon gave a classy deft ball to the impressive Bob Beswick who touched down in front of the sticks.

The visitors regained the lead when Tony Tonks burst onto a short ball to score easily. Paul Handforth’s conversion giving Rovers a slight advantage.

Ian Hardman replied for the Vikings minutes later as Beswick teed him up for a well worked try.

Steve Tyrer added the extras to maintain his flawless kicking rate.

Wildbore hit back for Featherstone as he took a Thackeray pass to turn the Widnes defenders inside out before racing in.

The game continued in the same manner in the second period as Lee Paterson showed good strength to power over from a tap penalty and Waine Pryce cancelled that score out as Wildbore cut through the Vikings’ defence again to send the winger in for a four-pointer.

Dickens hit the conversion from the touchline. But Widnes dug deep and Smith’s 66th-minute try was the one that killed Featherstone off.

Dogged Rovers tried to claw their way back through James Houston and Tommy Saxton but Widnes held firm.

Barlow barged his way over at the death to seal victory for McCormack’s men.