Match Report | Widnes Vikings 35-20 Sheffield Eagles
25/08/2024
Sheffield Eagles suffered a 35-20 defeat on the road this afternoon at playoff hopefuls Widnes Vikings.
Matty Dawson-Jones returned from suspension as he started on the wing ahead of Ryan Millar in the North West, whilst Evan Hodgson was also handed a start at loose forward having missed out against Batley Bulldogs last time out.
There was also another start in the front row for Tyler Dickinson, who was making his 100th appearance for the Sheffield Eagles.
It was the hosts who led at the DCBL Stadium in only the sixth minute as Gilmore’s cross field kick on the last was met in the air by Rhodri Lloyd, who managed to get the ball down to the right of the sticks. Gilmore’s successful kick took the game to 6-0.
Shane Grady doubled the hosts’ advantage as he managed to ground the ball to the left-hand side of the sticks in the 23rd minute, before the veteran scored a second try of the afternoon for himself from close-range twelve minutes later as he latched onto a smart Matty Fozard pass.
Gilmore’s further two conversions and a drop goal secured a 19-0 lead at the break for the hosts.
Four minutes after the break, Widnes continued where they left off as they scored a fourth try of the afternoon. They worked the ball left, and Ryan Ince was on hand to score. Gilmore’s kick took the game to 25-0.
The Eagles responded and they managed to get sixteen points on the scoreboard in a six-minute spell to close the game back to 25-16 with twenty minutes to go.
Dawson-Jones crossed twice during that spell after good offloads out wide by James Glover, whilst Jesse Sene-Lefao managed to power his way under the sticks to score from close-range.
Widnes were able to then go back-to-back themselves with fifteen minutes to go to create a further gap between the two sides. Mike Butt firstly scored in the right corner after fast hands in the Widnes attack, before Matty Fozard scored against his former side after going for the line from close-range.
Ben Jones-Bishop scored a late consolation try for the Eagles in the right corner, but it wasn’t enough as we fell to a 35-20 defeat on the road at the DCBL Stadium.
The Eagles are back in Betfred Championship action this coming Saturday evening. A tough test awaits as we travel to the south of France to take on Toulouse Olympique (6pm KO / 5pm KO BST)
Widnes Vikings: Roby, Butt, Owens, Fleming, Ince, Lyons, Gilmore, Bent, Johnstone, Murray, Lloyd, Grady, Roberts
Interchanges: Fozard, Brooks, Kirk, Green
18th Man: Sumner
Tries: Lloyd (6’), Grady (23’, 34’), Ince (43’), Butt (65’), Fozard (68’)
Goals: Gilmore (5/6)
Drop Goal: Gilmore (40’)
Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, I.Farrell, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Foster, J.Farrell, Hodgson
Interchanges: Bower, Gwaze, Wood, Sene-Lefao
18th Man: Clark
Tries: Dawson-Jones (47’ 53’), Sene-Lefao (51’), Jones-Bishop (77’)
Goals: Aston (2/4)
Referee: S. Mikalauskas
Attendance: 2,486
