SHEFFIELD EAGLES 12 WIDNES VIKINGS 8
DAN FOWLER, MEPS International Home of Football Stadium, Thursday

SHEFFIELD ended the regular season with a tight victory over a makeshift but extremely valiant Widnes outfit.

Allan Coleman’s Vikings had more than an eye on the 1895 Cup Final against London on Bank Holiday Monday, naming eleven debutants from four different clubs and their own Under 19s.

During the whole contest you wouldn’t have been able to tell which team had the influx of new signings as Widnes really took it to their hosts.

Both sides had the territory to break the deadlock in the early going but defences were certainly on top.

Widnes opted to take a shot at goal on 14 minutes after winning two penalties in quick succession. Aiden Doolan took aim but could only hit a post.

The first points arrived ten minutes later when a Jordan Abdull kick was tapped backwards by Joe Brown and into the hands of Jack Bussey, the loose-forward having enough to cross the whitewash from close range. Connor Bower couldn’t convert.

Widnes did show bursts of speed on occasions and they turned defence into attack with a 90-metre break, only stopped by Eagles fullback Greg Eden. The hosts somehow survived the following onslaught as the Vikings fumbled over the line.

With six minutes of the half remaining, Reiss Butterworth kicked a 40/20 to give Sheffield a chance to extend their advantage. However, more valiant Widnes defence followed as they denied Bower, who had to leave the field with an injury from the same passage of play.

In the early stages of the second period, the Vikings gave another warning to the Eagles as Sean Coughlan made a swift 70-metre break, winning a penalty en route. It still wasn’t meant to be for the youngsters though as they couldn’t capitalise on their newfound territory.

Sheffield doubled their advantage on 49 minutes with the impactful Butterworth winning a six-again and striking while the iron was hot, throwing a ball to Kieran Gill who had been placed on the wing in place of the injured Ryan Millar. Abdull couldn’t convert.

Gill completed his brace with nine minutes of the game to go, fullback Eden floating across the line before playing the killer pass to the touchline. Successful conversions weren’t the name of the Eagles’ game as Abdull fired wide once more.

A couple of interceptions gave the Widnes faithful something to cheer about as the visitors reduced the arrears to just four points in the closing stages. After winning a penalty in front of the Eagles sticks, Widnes pointed towards the sticks and Jenson Windley converted.

Their point-scoring wasn’t done though as, on the hooter, an Eagles scrum play saw a loose ball swept up by Castleford loanee Alfie Lindsey, who showed a decent turn of pace to get over. Windley converted for the final act of the evening.

GAMESTAR: Reiss Butterworth provided a couple of moments of magic once again.

GAMEBREAKER: Sheffield’s final try nine minutes from time, courtesy of Kieran Gill, put three scores between the teams.

MATCHFACTS

EAGLES
28 Greg Eden
2 Joe Brown
19 Will Oakes
4 Kieran Gill
21 Ryan Millar
6 Kai Morgan
27 Jordan Abdull
22 Masi Matongo
9 Corey Johnson
10 Martyn Reilly
11 Connor Bower
23 Alex Foster
15 George Griffin
Subs (all used)
13 Jack Bussey
14 Reiss Butterworth
16 Blake Broadbent
17 Harry Bowes

Tries: Bussey (24), Gill (49, 71)
Goals: Bower 0/1, Abdull 0/2

VIKINGS
1 Jenson Windley
2 Sean Coughlan
23 Max Rhodes
4 Alfie Lindsey
24 Frank Sergent
26 Ryan Forshaw
6 Joe Lyons
18 Morgan McWhirter
9 Aiden Doolan
28 Jack Houghton
25 Kieran Taylor
10 Sam Grice
15 Lewis Hall
Subs (all used)
20 Layton Jupp
27 Ben Harper
29 Jack Hamer
37 Zak Bennett
18th man (used)
7 Dec Rigby

Tries: Lindsey (80)
Goals: Doolan 0/1, Windley 2/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0; 8-0, 12-0, 12-2, 12-8

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Eagles: Reiss Butterworth; Vikings: Jenson Windley

Penalty count: 7-6
Half-time: 4-0
Referee: Kevin Moore
Attendance: 669