We let ourselves down, says boss

Jul 17 2008 by Ian Cheveau, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

WIDNES boss Steve McCormack was blazing at his team’s poor display after the break.

Cruising it early on, the Vikings let plucky Batley in for two late tries and a vital bonus point McCormack felt they should never have had.

The Vikings had raced to 18-0 lead after 13 minutes through tries from John Duffy, Bob Beswick and Lee Paterson.

With Steve Tyrer notching another four-pointer for good measure – after Kris Lythe had sneaked over for the visitors – the hosts were well in control if never in top gear.

When Ben Kavanagh latched on to a Matty Smith pass for an unopposed score, the Vikings should have carved the Bulldogs to pieces but that didn’t happen.

McCormack said: “The most important thing for us was that we got the win.

“We put in a professional first-half performance but we let ourselves down badly in the second period on the back of a high penalty count which was a mixture of indiscipline and other things.

“All credit to Batley and the way they played in the second half but we allowed them to do what they did and that was disappointing.

“The only positive performance was that of Paddy Flynn and that was it – no-one else.”

Batley took the second half 16-6 as Widnes put in a wretched defensive effort.

Eight minutes from time, Bob Beswick sliced wide a drop goal attempt, which would have denied Batley the point.

The Bulldogs were without a host of first-team players but the performance of Paul Mennell and Ash Lindsay more than made up for it.

The pair were excellent for the Bulldogs and they needed to be after such a poor start.

Leading 28-6, Widnes should really have kicked on. Paul Noone had a try disallowed for a double movement three minutes into the second half but then Batley mounted their comeback.

Widnes’ only second-half try was from Chris Dean and Bulldogs thought they had further increased the pressure on Widnes late on. But John Campbell’s effort was ruled out on the intervention of a touch judge.