Widnes Vikings' late tries snatch a draw with Whitehaven

Vikings had trailed by 12 points at the hour mark, but scores from Matty Fozard and Jack Owens, converted by Tom Gilmore secured a point.

Whitehaven took a 12-4 lead courtesy of tries from Jake Maizen and Lachlan Hanneghan, with Vikings’ Mike Butt score in the middle.

Jordan Johnstone and Sam Wilde crossed to give Widnes the lead, albeit very briefly with Maizen scoring his second to put Whitehaven up 18-16 at the break.

Maizen completed his hat-trick and then Edene Gebbie crossed to make it 28-16 to the visitors.

However, Vikings were not done and hooker Fozard burrowed over from close range and with two minutes to go Owens crossed for his 100th career try.

The nerveless Gilmore kicked the difficult conversion to secure a point.

Afterwards Vikings Head Coach Allan Coleman said: “It was a great game to watch for the neutral, both sets of supporters probably got their money’s worth.

“From our perspective, we’re a bit disappointed. I feel as though we gifted them things and that’s not us. We gifted tries which you can’t do in this competition because it’s a tough competition.

“With ten minutes to go I think the games probably gone away from us and then with a minute to go I think we’re going to go on and win it.

“It was an end-to-end tussle, and we’ve been in three of them now but I can’t fault my players, they’ve shown they believe and we’ll take the point.”

Widnes Vikings: Owens, Butt, Nisbet, Edge, Dixon, Lyons, Gilmore, Kirk, Johnstone, Murray, Lloyd, Wilde, Field. Subs: Fozard, Brooks, Roberts, Bent, Walker (18th).

Tries: Butt, Johnstone, Wilde, Fozard, Owens.

Goals: Gilmore 4.

Whitehaven: Maizen, Romeo, Teare, Evans, Gebbie, J. Doran, Hanneghan, Ainley, Newton, Graham, McCarron, Corkill, King. Subs: O. Doran, Worthington, Hindmarsh-Takyi, Bailey, Castle (18th).

Tries: Maizen 3, Hanneghan, Gebbie.

Goals: Hanneghan 4.

Attendance: 2,741.