What a game. Finest of the season for me. A poor first half from us, we penalised ourselves out of it. Again, Coyle did not do enough for me to justify that new contract. We're not using the overlap enough. Inside passes far too often. We used it once in this game, and scored.

Second half comes, and we cut out the penalties. Except one, which is due to very weak refereeing and lifted the crowd then the players and from that point on we are showing the sort of aggression and drive which can see us beat anyone. Will be interesting to see whether Hulme's chalked off try was indeed a forward pass.

Batley were a credit. Not dirty, really taking it to us with the sort of passing game we were severely lacking for most of the game. But interestingly, they started to drop off at the end and really tightened up the defence as a result. Kavs, a super league player now without full time conditioning, started to batter them.

Overall, a very exciting game, room for improvement in both discipline and creativity, but we showed a lot of guts and determination and it paid off.

MOM Kavanagh.

Great game and Widnes toughed it out for the win, massive credit to Karl and his men, they're a tough quality side.

As for mom, I thought Steve pickersgill was a monster for Widnes today, very tough in defence and good going forward. Paddy also deserves a mention.

A win that was also needed.

very much a mixed bag today.
i thought we were largely crap in every department in the first hour. Saying that, individually they seem to have improved defensively, but far too often as a unit we are easily pulled one way, they had a mile to play with on our left hand side on more occasions than i care to remember.
without a few moments of individual attacking skill we would have never been in touching distance and im surprised we were still in it at the point kevin penny scored (a delicious irony to see him own the next up and coming young threequarter from the wire on that one )
a few things go against us and we suddenly look mad for it. thats what pulled us through, along with the aforementioned few moments of individual attacking flair. the rest was on the whole aweful today. our kicking game would be funny if it wasnt so tragic.
i would love to be happy joy joy, but if we play like that next week we will concede 50 again.

and your right VM, pickers was well and truly unleashing the fury today

Hulmes no try came from a mile forward pass.

I couldn't see from where I was. Suspected as much, linesman must have seen something.

I think we all know we need to improve for the game against Leigh, that's 9 league matches unbeaten though so were on the right track. I would rather peak for the play offs than now.


Up the Vikings.

Pickers and varks great today.I,Anson was awful and I like see Mellor and Craven as halfback partners.

We needed a win today and right up to the final hooter we kept going. If every player showed the enthusiasm that Kevin Penny shows every game, we'd be a far more consistent team.

As said by VM, a massive improvement will be needed against Leigh otherwise we'll get blown away again.

Pickers, Varks, Penny, Mellor and Coyle all deserve a mention.

Kavs M.o.M for me.

I thought Flynn was going to annihilate the referee when he didnt get the penalty in the second half.

Sign Mellor,Penny and Varks.

Anyone else think that we had more than 3800 in attendance today? Looked more than the previous 2 home games when we had over 4000 in.

That was the incident which turned it around for us. We're clearly held down, then the ball is stripped and he gives a knock on. I think everyone could feel the same frustration and anger and the crowd lifted and then the players lifted. In a way it saved us.

Don't see how Coyle deserves a mention! Again, lethargically tracking back, slow play the balls, inside ball every time instead of using the wings. I can't see what others see in him and believe me, I want to.

Thought it looked less particularly in the south stand. I predicted 3,500, my brother 3,800. He must have been right. Surprising though. Match meant much more than either of the 4k gates.

Probably a lot of folk on holidays now the schools have finished .