Vikings Cruise past Hornets.Widnes 44 - Hornets 18.
Hornets recent run of good results came to an abrupt halt at Widnes. Billed as the game of the day, Hornets failed spectacularly to meet expectations as we wearily shipped 44 points to a rampant Vikings side.
The news wasn't good after only three minutes, as neat work wide out saw Damien Munro scoot in. Weston slotted a handy touchline conversion and we had an inkling that it was going to be one of those days.
But despite the fact that we looked second best, Hornets edged back into the game as David Stephenson slumped in from close range. Danny Wood - who had a nightmare game and was substituted later - missed the conversion.
Having had our sing for the afternoon, we sat back to watch Widnes play some very tidy football. First in was winger Chris Percival, followed to the line by the ubiquitous Phil Cantillon whose try claimed the spurious world record of being the most scored in a season by a hooker. Comparing his performances with those required each week in the NRL casts some doubt on the validity of his claim, but it'd be churlish to complain too greatly.
Straight from the ensuing kick-off, Dave Watson flapped at the ball - had he left it it would have probably entered the West stand at about row H - and in the set of six from the drop out, Widnes said, "Ta very much Dave" as Matt Long cruised in to score.
Half time 24-4 and the game dead.
The second half started in the worst possible way for Hornets. A wild pass from, I think, Cooper - hard to see when the fat bloke in front of you persists in standing up - was intercepted by Percival who skipped gently to the line for his easiest try of the season.
Further Widnes tries came from Long and Weston, with Percival adding another for his hat trick.
Hornets did manage to trouble the scoreboard operator again. Stevo collecting a carbon copy one yarder, James Bunyan kicking through a dying pass to touch down wide out and Calland collecting a grounded ball almost on the line to score with the home crowd baying - as they did for most of the afternoon - for a knock on, a forward pass, offside and leg before.
And that, as they say is that.
Martin Hall will be bitterly disappointed at the way Hornets conceded this game (slight euphamism for p*ssed off) - we played without shape, style or respect for the ball, depending almost entirely on battering ram tactics from the forwards.
Backing up was as poor as we've seen in a long time and with Danny Wood looking leaden at five eighth and Latham Tawhai struggling to impose himself behind a well beaten pack, it's a bloody miracle we managed 18.
Our man of the match was Dave Stephenson who flogged himself to a standstill in a long lost cause at both hooker and in the second row - best Hornets player by a long, wide street today.
So, it's back to the training pitch to knock some heads together. Our error rate was appallingly high today, while Widnes played a neat, tight game, running with pace and backing up in numbers. Next week's trip to Chorley gives us a chance to settle the ship a bit, but I don't envy the coaching staff the job of having to watch this one again on video.