Cai Taylor-Wray steers Widnes Vikings to victory at Doncaster

DONCASTER 22 WIDNES VIKINGS 26
JAMES GORDON, Eco-Power Stadium, Sunday

DONCASTER were downed in their first home game of the year as dual-registration fullback Cai Taylor-Wray inspired Widnes to victory.

On his Vikings debut from Warrington, Taylor-Wray gave Widnes a second-half lead with an 85-metre romp home down the middle, and then a terrific weaving kick-return laid the platform for what proved to be the decisive try by Rhys Williams.

Doncaster started the match as they meant to go on, enjoying more of the territory and showing an urgency in the middle that made it difficult for Widnes to make metres.

However back-to-back penalties for late contact on the passer gifted Widnes some much-needed field position, and they didn’t need a second invitation, with Martyn Reilly crashing over by the side of the posts for Tom Gilmore to convert.

But Widnes were punished for ill-discipline of their own on 22 minutes, the Dons earning back-to-back six-again calls after a penalty, then moving the ball smartly left for Bureta Faraimo to race in from 15 metres. Craig Hall goaled.

The momentum was with the Doncaster now and they started to find some speed around the play-the-ball and soon took the lead.

Luke Briscoe came in from the right-hand side and burst through the middle, and though he was partially halted by Taylor-Wray, he managed to get an offload away to the supporting Watson Boas to go under the sticks. Hall added the two.

A David v Goliath effort from Gilmore on Pauli Pauli stopped Doncaster adding a third try, but Widnes managed to get back within two points at the break with a score right at the end of the half.

Again, Doncaster were architects of their own downfall, a third late-contact penalty enabling Widnes cheap field position, and Gilmore set up Taylor-Wray to provide a long, flat pass for Ryan Ince to squeeze in acrobatically in the left corner.

There was a see-saw start to the second half as Widnes regained the lead through Ince on the left, only for Doncaster to hit straight back when Faraimo burst through and offloaded for Jacob Jones. Hall missed the kickable conversion.

Minutes later he was off target with a penalty attempt from virtually the same spot, so the score remained 16-14.

Doncaster were made to rue their decision to kick at goal when they had Widnes vulnerable when the visitors struck from deep on the hour, Owens getting to a loose ball on the floor and then popping it up for Taylor-Wray to race home unopposed. Gilmore goaled.

Taylor-Wray’s kick-return five minutes later took advantage of a broken Doncaster kick-chase. He went 70 metres downfield and weaved side to side and even backwards at one point to find a gap. When his legs finally gave way, Widnes were closing in on the line and eventually scored through Williams after Boas failed to deal with Jack Owens’ kick. Again Gilmore converted.

Doncaster did get a late try back through Suaia Matagi off an Edene Gebbie offload, but even with Hall’s goal, it came too late to turn things around, despite a ball steal after the hooter that meant the game ended with a frantic, disjointed play perhaps typical of the whole second half.

GAMESTAR: Cai Taylor-Wray’s lightning pace made the difference for Widnes in a hard-fought game.

GAMEBREAKER: A kick-return by Taylor-Wray helped give the Vikings the only two-score lead of the match and it was enough in the end.

MATCHFACTS
DONCASTER
18 Edene Gebbie
5 Luke Briscoe
4 Reece Lyne
3 Brad Hey
2 Bureta Faraimo
1 Craig Hall
24 Watson Boas
8 Brad Knowles
9 Greg Burns
10 Suaia Matagi
14 Jacob Jones
16 Pauli Pauli
13 Loui McConnell
Subs (all used)
11 Sam Smeaton
17 Josh Bowden
20 Isaac Misky
28 Hugo Salabio

Tries: Faraimo (22), Boas (27), Jones (51), Matagi (79)
Goals: Hall 3/5

VIKINGS
27 Cai Taylor-Wray
2 Ryan Ince
3 Matty Fleming
1 Jack Owens
29 Rhys Williams
19 Dec Patton
7 Tom Gilmore
8 Dan Murray
14 Matty Fozard
10 Martyn Reilly
11 Rhodri Lloyd
12 Danny Langtree
17 Max Roberts
Subs (all used)
6 Joe Lyons
15 Liam Bent
16 Liam Kirk
21 Gavin Bennion