WARRINGTON WOLVES 22 WIDNES VIKINGS 36
JAMES GORDON, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Friday
WIDNES scored 24 unanswered second-half points to beat a youthful Warrington side in both teams’ first hit-out in 2025.
Rugby union convert Alfie Johnson grabbed the second of his two tries early in the second half to stretch Wolves’ lead to 22-12, but they were undone by Dec Patton and then Tom Gilmore as the Vikings’ experience told.
The promise of Johnson, and the first-half performance of new signing from London Broncos, Oli Leyland, will have given Sam Burgess enough room for confidence though.
Widnes’ line-up included trialist hooker Aidan Doolan, who has been training with his former club Warrington in pre-season following his return from Australia, while the Vikings got a first-hand look at several players that may be made available to them on dual-registration in 2025 as part of the partnership between the two clubs.
The Widnes triumvirate of Jack Owens, Gilmore and new signing Patton moved the ball nicely in the opening quarter and they put on the first try of the contest on ten minutes for Mike Butt in the right corner, after Dan Russell had knocked-on off a Wire scrum.
Warrington’s starting front row of Zane Musgrove and Max Wood began to tire Widnes through the middle and, off the back of the first penalty of the match, Johnson comfortably beat Cameron Brown to catch and touch down from Leyland’s high kick.
Russell shrugged off his shaky start by recording a try on his debut outing, strolling through and behind the posts off a Leyland short ball to put the hosts 10-6 up by the quarter mark.
Widnes hit back, Rhodri Lloyd running a good line to take a Patton short pass to the try line, moments after Warrington had lost Stefan Ratchford to a HIA.
But at the other end, Leyland’s kicking game was causing problems for Brown, a close-season signing from Cornwall, and a knock-on from the winger gifted Wire the scrum from which they ran in their third try, a walk-in at the left corner from Jake Thewlis off Cai Taylor-Wray’s pass to lead 16-12 at the break.
A drop from the kick-off gifted field position to set up Johnson’s second try in the opening minutes of the second half as Warrington started in control, but a drop at the other end by Johnson gifted Widnes a scrum they scored from in the corner via Butt.
Warrington were still on the front foot, despite ringing the changes, until Joe Edge intercepted a pass close to his own line and was chased down by Joe Hickey, eventually finding the try line himself a couple of tackles later courtesy of an Owens offload and Adam Jones pass, with Patton converting from the touchline to nudge the Vikings in front.
Gilmore, back on the field for Patton, dummied his way through the Warrington line to set up Dan Murray, via Joe Lyons, to crash over, and the same three linked up again for a sixth try on 73 minutes. This time Gilmore’s kick aimed for the crossbar was handed back by Murray for Lyons to touch down.
GAMESTAR: Tom Gilmore’s experience made the difference in the final quarter against the young Warrington outfit.
GAMEBREAKER: The interception, and subsequent try, by Joe Edge turned the tide in Widnes’ favour.
MATCHFACTS
WOLVES
23 Cai Taylor-Wray
28 Jake Thewlis
29 Zac Bardsley-Rowe
33 Arron Lindop
31 Alfie Johnson
19 Stefan Ratchford
18 Oliver Leyland
16 Zane Musgrove
9 Ben Hartill
24 Max Wood
32 Nolan Tupaea
26 Dan Russell
22 Tom Whitehead
Subs (all used)
25 Lucas Green
27 Luke Thomas
21 Joe Bajer
4 Zack Gardner
6 Joe Hickey
7 Ewan Irwin
12 Sam Marshall
20 Tom McKinney
2 Frank Sargent
11 Ewan Smith
Tries: Johnson (15, 42), Russell (18), Thewlis (32)
Goals: Ratchford 1/2, Leyland 2/2
VIKINGS
1 Jack Owens
23 Cameron Brown
4 Joe Edge
3 Matt Fleming
5 Mike Butt
19 Dec Patton
7 Tom Gilmore
8 Dan Murray
27 Aiden Doolan
10 Martyn Reilly
11 Rhodri Lloyd
12 Danny Langtree
13 Ryan Lannon
Subs (all used)
21 Gavin Bennion
15 Liam Bent
14 Matty Fozard
26 Adam Jones
16 Liam Kirk
6 Joe Lyons
17 Max Roberts
20 Lewis Hall
Tries: Butt (10, 47), Lloyd (27), Edge (52), Murray (65), Lyons (73)
Goals: Gilmore 4/4, Patton 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 10-6, 10-12, 16-12; 22-12, 22-18, 22-24, 22-30, 22-36
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Wolves: Oliver Leyland; Vikings: Tom Gilmore
Penalty count: 4-3
Half-time: 16-12
Referee: Ryan Cox
Attendance: 3,690
