WIDNES VIKINGS 16 DONCASTER 20
KASEY SMITH, DCBL Stadium, Sunday
WIDNES blew a huge chance to return to winning ways as 11-man Doncaster clung on for the unlikeliest of wins.
The Dons were the better side early on and built a 10-0 lead before the game erupted into chaos following a high Edene Gebbie shot on Jake Maizen, which threw this game into doubt.
Concern for Maizen escalated following a 22nd-minute challenge that – while initially appearing innocuous, albeit high – left him down on the pitch for nearly 20 minutes before he was stretchered off with his head in a brace.
With the doctor remaining with the player, the match remained suspended but eventually restarted at 4:35pm, with referee Cameron Worsley giving Gebbie a red card.
More cards were brandished with emotions running high after a high shot on Liam Bent as Suaia Matagi was shown red and Nick Gregson yellow.
11-man Doncaster managed to increase their lead through Reece Lyne to make it 14-0, but when Widnes scored three unanswered tries it looked like the Dons were done for.
But Widnes blew numerous chances, and Craig Hall grabbed a try to put his side back in front on 68 minutes and he had the calmness to slot over a penalty two minutes from time as the Dons punished the wasteful Vikings.
Greg Burns opened the scoring after darting over from dummy-half, before Gebbie doubled their lead following a try in the left corner before he was shown red for the high challenge on Maizen.
After play was suspended for over an hour, further chaos followed after Widnes forced a goal-line drop-out. There was a high shot on Liam Bent, which sparked the brawl that saw the departure of Matagi and Gregson.
As tensions rose, Doncaster were awarded a penalty for another high shot and, in good territory, Reece Lyne brushed past some weak Vikings defenders to put the 11-man Dons side three scores up.
The Vikings finally made the most of their two-man advantage after Max Roberts powered through just before half-time.
Understandably, there were big gaps in the Dons line, and a well-timed drop-off pass from replacement hooker Matty Fozard set Ben Condon off to bring Doncaster’s advantage back to just four points on 51 minutes.
The Vikings took the lead just before the hour-mark when Roberts converted Rhys Williams’ effort, which came from Dec Patton’s deft diagonal grubber as the Dons were finally made to pay for their indiscipline.
Far from capitulating, however, the Dons kept believing, and when a low kick from Watson Boas was ricocheted, Craig Hall was alert enough to put his side back in front.
Late in the game, Patton blew a huge chance to put Lawton in, who almost certainly would have powered over. Instead, he opted for a pass to Rhys Williams that sailed well out of play. That would have wrapped it up for Widnes.
Instead, it was Doncaster who left the DCBL with the points after Hall took full advantage to grab a late two-pointer, when Widnes conceded back-to-back penalties, to inflict defeat on the Vikings.
GAMESTAR: Craig Hall had a job on as the fullback in the 11-man Dons side, but he played a blinder in keeping the Widnes scores to a minimum and he proved crucial at the other end of the field to seal the win.
GAMEBREAKER: Craig Hall’s penalty conversion wrapped up a win in what was a mad 80 minutes of Rugby League.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
33 Jake Maizen
5 Mike Butt
17 Max Roberts
4 Joe Edge
29 Rhys Williams
19 Dec Patton
27 Will Roberts
8 Dan Murray
9 Jordan Johnstone
15 Liam Bent
– Ben Condon
31 Adam Lawton
18 Nick Gregson
Subs (all used)
3 Dan Fleming
13 Morgan McWhirter
14 Matty Fozard
32 Max Wood
Tries: M Roberts (36), Condon (51), Williams (57)
Goals: W Roberts 2/3
Sin bin: Gregson (24) – fighting
DONCASTER
1 Craig Hall
5 Luke Briscoe
4 Reece Lyne
3 Brad Hey
18 Edene Gebbie
24 Watson Boas
7 Connor Robinson
15 Jordan Baldwinson
9 Greg Burns
10 Suaia Matagi
14 Jacob Jones
11 Sam Smeaton
21 Tyla Hepi
Subs (all used)
17 Josh Bowden
20 Isaac Misky
6 Ben Johnston
16 Pauli Pauli
Tries: Burns (13), Gebbie (19), Lyne (27), Hall (68)
Goals: Robinson 1/4, Hall 1/1
Dismissal: Gebbie (22) – high tackle, Matagi (24) – punching
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 0-14, 4-14; 10-14, 16-14, 16-18, 16-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Will Roberts; Doncaster: Reece Lyne
Penalty count: 5-8
Half-time: 4-14
Referee: Cameron Worsley