Rams beaten Vikings in tricky conditions at FLAIR Stadium.
After a fantastic victory against local rivals Batley Bulldogs, the Rams returned to FLAIR Stadium to face Widnes Vikings, a side they had beaten just over a year ago in the Betfred Challenge Cup.
With weather conditions not ideal for rugby league, Widnes got the game underway with a strong wind on their back and some early pressure on the Rams’ line, but it was the Rams who had the first major chance of the game. A neat kick from Paul Sykes was spilled by Ryan Ince but unfortunately Curtis Davies couldn’t capitalise.
With both sides struggling to make an impact in the game, it was the Vikings who got the first points on the board when Jordan Johnstone snuck through the defence after a late offload.
Matt Garside nearly answered straight back but was stopped just short of the line and then Ronan Dixon made a strong break through the middle, but once again it was Widnes who got the next score, with Danny Langtree making the most of another late offload by the Vikings.
Tom Gilmore nearly managed to extend Widnes’ lead to fourteen on the stroke of half time but his penalty attempt from the half way line struck the post.
With the wind now on their back, the Rams had cause for optimism at the start of the second forty, but were behind further just minutes into the second half when Matty Fozard snuck over from dummy half. Just under ten minutes later, Fozard scored almost a carbon copy to further add to the Rams’ misery.
The Rams didn’t give up however and looked to have potentially found a route back into the game when Jimmy Beckett charged through a gap in the Widnes defence. The Vikings then went down to twelve for ten minutes when Paul Sykes was caught in the air by Danny Langtree.
Despite more Rams pressure at the Vikings line, the hosts couldn’t make the visitors pay and Widnes rounded off the scoring with just minutes left when Tom Gilmore slotted the ball over from in front of the posts after a tackle of the ball.
After the game, Head Coach Dale Ferguson said, “It’s frustrating for us all today, especially after last week, I think the first half took a lot of out of us and we left too much to do for ourselves.”
It’s a trip up to Cumbria next weekend for the Rams to face Barrow Raiders, as they start a trio of testing away league fixtures.
Dewsbury Rams (6): Restall, Whiteley, Greensmith, M.Walker, Carr, Hookem, Sykes, Beckett, Davies, Bibby, Dawson, Garside, Collinson.
Interchanges Hird, R.Dixon, Billington, Morris, Copley (18th)
Tries: Beckett (58’)
Conversions: Sykes (1/1)
Widnes Vikings (24): Owens, Butt, Fleming, Edge, Ince, Lyons, Gilmore, Kirk, Johnstone, Murray, Langtree, Wilde, Gregson.
Interchanges Fozard, Lloyd, Roberts, Walker, Bent (18th)
Tries: Johnstone (18’), Langtree (38’), Fozard (42’, 50’)
Conversions: Gilmore (3/4)
Penalty Goal: Gilmore (69’)
Yellow Card: Langtree (60’)
