McCormack takes positives from tie

May 15 2008 by Dave Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

STEVE McCormack’s young guns produced one of their best performances of the season on the biggest stage and came within a whisker of upsetting Super League class act Hull FC.

Following a host of injuries in the midweek fixture at Dewsbury, McCormack had to call on seven under 21 players to face a team who have been threatening to maul somebody for weeks.

So much so, nobody even gave brave Widnes a hope but Hull were sweating late on and it took an almighty effort from two of their biggest players to ensure it was their name in the draw for the next round.

Key Vikings players – including Tommy Gallagher, Tim Hartley and Richard Fletcher – had been forced to miss out due to injury or cup ineligibility.

McCormack therefore had to draft in youngsters Shane Grady, Rob Draper, Dayne Donoghue and Scott Yates.

They were at the heart of the Vikings’ brave push for Carnegie Challenge Cup glory against all the odds.

Willie Manu settled things for Hull in the 60th minute, steamrollering through the middle of the Vikings defence for the crucial try.

Widnes, inspired by the outstanding Iain Morrison, had been in contention all the way until the big Tongan burst over.

Manu was ably assisted by Adam Dykes and Shaun Berrigan in leading Peter Sharp’s Hull outfit around the field superbly.

Dykes, a former Cronulla Shark, and Berrigan, the former Brisbane Bronco, were in particularly sparkling form.

Dykes is probably the in-form Super League half-back and showed his class.

He shot over for the opening try on seven minutes and was at the heart of everything positive for Hull.

But so was Morrison for Widnes and, on the back of his excellent carries, he gave his team a chance to hit back.

Bob Beswick’s kick and pick up put Widnes level.

It wasn’t even for long as Matt Sing’s break saw Dykes connect with Richard Whiting, who sent in Todd Byrne on the right flank for Hull’s second

Craig Hall added the extras but Vikings came back straight away.

Paterson took his try well to keep Widnes in it.

At 12-16, it could have gone either way but a bad Vikings error straight after the restart led to Michael Burnett flying over the whitewash.

Widnes substitute Draper gave the home side a flicker of hope, racing 30 metres to score, but then Hull delivered the killer blow through the unstoppable Manu.

The scoreline should have finished 18-26 but Widnes, out on their feet, let Dykes break away for his second.

McCormack was chuffed with his team’s gutsy display.

He said: “I’m really proud of the players and the way they have played.

“Hull are a top Super League team and for us to be still in it at the 70th-minute marker just shows how far we have come.

“They have some big boys in there and they are hard to stop but I thought the likes of Iain Morrison and Jim Gannon stood up.”