Report: Widnes Vikings 52-0 Rochdale Hornets

Widnes Vikings booked their place in the 1895 Cup final with a resounding 52-0 win over Rochdale, with nine different names on the scoresheet in a 10-try rout.

The home side wasted no time and opened the scoring after less than five minutes. Moving the ball from right to left across the goal-line, Sam Wilde opened up a gap to score before Jack Owens added the extras.

Wilde thought he had his second not long after as he latched onto the end of a kick over the top of the Hornets defence, but couldn’t ground the ball in time before bouncing into touch.

Just after the 10-minute mark, the lead was doubled as Mike Butt raced away down the wing to touch down.

Rochdale’s first foray into Widnes territory came five minutes later. And after electing to kick for touch following a penalty just short of halfway, they went close with efforts from Jack Hansen and Tom Ashton, who was thwarted just short of the Vikings line.

The third try for Allan Coleman’s side came just after the midway point of the first half, after a tricky kick from Tom Gilmore forced a goal-line drop-out. From the resulting set, Joe Edge went over unopposed in the corner.

Lewis Hall then managed to plant the ball down from close range, before Owens took the lead to 20 points with a simple kick just to the right of the posts.

Jack Billington added his name to the scoresheet four minutes before the break with a near carbon copy to the try scored by Hall before kicking duties were passed to Edge who added two more points to the total.

Right on the stroke of half time, Kieran Taylor weaved his way through the Rochdale defence to add his name to the scoresheet.

With Gary Thornton’s side 32 points down at half-time, what was already a tough cup tie had become even more tricky with the home side in the ascendancy and not giving Rochdale any opportunities whatsoever.

Ten minutes into the second half, Danny Langtree sliced through the Hornets defence following a sustained period of pressure on the defensive line, with Matty Fozard dragging the conversion attempt across the face of the posts.

If there were any lingering hopes of a Rochdale comeback still left, they were quickly extinguished. Following a low kick to the corner from the ever-inventive Gilmore, Wilde pounced to grab his second and his side’s eighth try of the afternoon.

The home side were in complete control and moments later, Jay Chapelhow finished off a swift passing move.

Fifteen minutes from time, Fozard darted out from acting half to duck underneath the defence to score, converting his own try as the home side brought up a half-century of points.

Rochdale did find their way into the Widnes half in the closing stages but couldn’t find a score despite the best efforts of Jamie Dallimore and Jack Hansen.

This proved to be the last action of the contest, with Widnes booking their spot in the final. It’s the end of a three match unbeaten run for the Hornets, with a tough test away to high-flying Newcastle Thunder to come next week.

Widnes Vikings: Connell, Butt, Taylor, Edge, Ince, Owens, Gilmore, Murray, Johnstone, Chapelhow, Roberts, Wilde, Hall. Bench: Fozard, Billington, Langtree, McWhirter.

Tries: Wilde (2), Butt, Edge, Hall, Billington, Taylor, Langtree, Chapelhow, Fozard

Goals: Owens, Edge (3), Fozard (2)

Rochdale Hornets: Flanagan, Boyd, Sa’u, Ashton, Nixon, Dallimore, Hansen, Barratt, Paga, Ioane, Whitmore, Wood, Syme. Bench: Dayes, Hatton, Kelly-Duffy, Waterworth.

Tries:

Goals: 

Gary Thornton reaction