Widnes Vikings (18) 29
T : Patrick Ah Van 2, Tom Gilmore, Paddy Flynn 2
G : Stefan Marsh 3, Tom Gilmore
DG : Tom Gilmore

Catalans Dragons (12) 22
T : Louis Anderson, Elliott Whitehead 2, Morgan Escaré
G : Scott Dureau 3
DG :

Two well-taken tries from winger Paddy Flynn helped Widnes Vikings end their five-game losing streak against the misfiring Catalans Dragons with a 29-22 victory.

Flynn’s two scores, one either side of the interval, handed the Vikings the edge and confidence to finish off the visitors and finally give their home supporters something to cheer about in what has been a dismal period for Denis Betts’ team.

Despite a late flurry, the Dragons ran out of steam at a crucial stage and paid the ultimate price. The French outfit raced to a two-try lead and were looking strong, but lost their way and surrendered to a Widnes fightback – conceding 29 unanswered points.

Catalans made the breakthrough early with one of the scrappiest tries the i-pitch has seen for some time. The Dragons kept the ball alive with a series of kicks and eventually one landed to Ben Pomeroy, who passed to Louis Anderson for the opening score.

Scott Dureau converted and it did not take long for their next six-pointer as Elliot Whitehead took a short ball from Ian Henderson and skipped his way through three Vikings defenders to comfortably touch down.

Widnes were sleepwalking and needed an urgent reply after a poor opening 15 minutes, and that came from winger Patrick Ah Van, who dived over in the corner. Stefan Marsh then knocked over an impressive conversion from the touchline to give the Vikings the shot in the arm they needed.

Ten minutes later Widnes were over again to draw level as Tom Gilmore, stepping in for inspirational skipper Kevin Brown, chipped over the Catalans defensive line and gathered to touch down for an impressive solo score that Brown would have been proud of.

The Vikings were beginning to find their feet, with Gilmore pulling the strings from the middle, and they edged in front for the first time with two minutes left of the half as Flynn finished off a long-range move in style. Marsh hit the conversion and at 18-12 the home side were showing signs that they could go on to win.

It was Flynn again who managed to put the Vikings further ahead with a clinical score on the right edge and under pressure from three would-be tacklers. Widnes were heading for the finishing line at 22-12 as Catalans flagged.

Gilmore sealed the points with 15 minutes to go as he slotted over a penalty and landed a clever drop goal to give Catalans a difficult target of three scores, which in the end was just beyond them.

Ah Van helped himself to another for Widnes late on after he collected Gilmore’s pinpoint kick through.

Whitehead scored his second three minutes from time to cap off a solid personal performance, and Morgan Escare raced in 60 seconds later, but it was all too little, too late.

Team Sheet

Widnes : Hanbury, Flynn, Dean, Marsh, Ah Van, Gilmore, Mellor, O'Carroll, Heremaia, Dudson, Clarkson, Galea, Cahill
Bench: Gerrard, Leulkuai, Manuokafoa, Isa

Dragons : Escaré, Inu, Gigot, Pomeroy, Sigismeau, Albert, Dureau, Lima, Henderson, Casty, Whitehead, Anderson, Baitieri
Bench: Mounis, Garcia, Bousquet, Margalet

Referee: Robert Hicks