Salford City Reds too hot for Vikings

Sunday 24th January 2010

Story in brief:

Widnes Vikings 0   Salford City Reds 36

THREE former Widnes players put the boot into their old club as Salford brushed aside the Vikings at Stobart Stadium.

Karl Fitzpatrick and Steve Tyrer both crossed for a double with big pack man Adam Sidlow barging over for a four pointer.

Salford, who fielded their strongest side ahead of their opening game with Hull KR in two weeks time, were too hot to handle for a Widnes team missing key individuals.

The Vikings did have some opportunities to plunder some points but the Salford defence was always up to the task. The City Reds looked in good shape and will be causing a lot of Super League sides some trouble when the season kick off in two weeks and losing in this manner to the quality of a team like the City Reds is nothing to be embarrassed about, even though the Vikings will take this to heart.

The game lacked fizz and appeal but what it did have was controversy after Fitzpatrick was dismissed after striking Tommy Coyle after the hooker had delivered a high shot on the Irish International which Widnes boss Paul Cullen said wasn't a sending off offence.

From Widnes' perspective, the team will probably like to draw a line under this one as Salford exposed some defensive frailties on the edges and were poor going forward. The standard of the opposition didn't help, neither did the 27 penalties which Referee James Child gave throughout the contest but all in all the Vikings wouldn't argue with the way Salford put them to the sword.

The seven try scoring procession started with Fitzpatrick after only two minutes and continued with Tyrer and Ashley Gibson. Salford took a sixteen point lead into the break and plundered another twenty points on top of that total in the second half through Sidlow, Jodie Broughton and Luke Adamson.

Paul Cullen, Widnes head coach, said he is looking forward to 'not playing the likes of Salford and Saints 'every week' after his side were outclassed in virtually every department.

He said: "We won't be playing that calibre of opposition every week. Salford were very good and you have to take into account the opposition here and that they are in Super League.

"We had a number of key players missing but it's a trial - friendly game and the real work starts next week with Gateshead Thunder in the Northern Rail Cup."