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Vikings demolish championship new boys

Sunday 28th February 2010

 

WIDNES VIKINGS 72 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 10

 

WIDNES got their Co-Operative Championship season off to a flying start with a 13-try demolition of Keighley Cougars at Stobart Stadium Halton.

 

 The main contributor to the 72-10 rout was rookie left centre Shane Grady who helped himself to a 32 point haul from three tries and ten conversions.

 

 Youngster Dean Thompson also crossed for a hat-trick of touchdowns in the right centre berth, proving himself a more than able deputy for the injured Toa Kohe-Love.

 

 The Vikings were on top from the off against a Yorkshire side which looks likely to find the going tough after their promotion to the Championship.

 

 Tries in the first half-hour  from Grady, Matt Gardner, Thompson, Dave Allen and Liam Farrell effectively sealed the game for Widnes as they raced into a 28-0 lead.

 

 Keighley pulled six points back with a converted try to winger Gavin Duffy but Grady cruised in again just before the interval to make it 34-6.

 

 The second half promised more of the same and that's exactly how it transpired.

 

 Grady and Thompson had both completed hat-tricks within 15 minutes of the restart as the half century was reached.

 

 Right winger Craig Moss pulled a try back for the Cougars but Widnes came home with a wet sail.

 

 Thomas Coyle backed up a Scott Yates break to score and further tries to Richard Varkulis, Anthony Thackeray and Yates completed the scoring.

 A perfect start for Widnes though there will be tougher challenges down the track.

 

Widnes Vikings

Yates,Varkulis,Thompson,Grady,Gardner,Thackeray,Webster,Kavanagh,Smith,Gannon,Farrell, Doran,Allen SUBS: Coyle,Gerrard,Davies,Houghton.

 

Keighley Cougars

Raynor,Moss,Burton,Pursglove,Duffy,Presley,Jones,Shickell,Feather,Rawlins,Cartledge,Jones,

Sagar SUBS: Wray,Haythornwaite,Law'Benjafield

 

Scorers

 

Vikings

Tries:  Grady (4, 39 ,45) Gardner 9 Thompson (21, 47,55) Allen 26 Farrell 30 Coyle 66 Varkulis 71

Thackeray 75 Yates 77

Goals:  Grady 10/13

Cougars

Tries: Duffy 34 Moss 63

Goals: Jones ½

 

HT : 34 - 6

 

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