Sheffield Eagles 16 Widness Vikings 44: Dominant Widnes on fire to see off efforts of hard-working Eagles

The Eagles’ forwards kept them in the game but lapses of concentration in defence were exploited by Widnes.

The Eagles gave a debut to their Samoan international Quentin Laula-Togagae who arrived in the UK 48 hours before kick-off and the utility back put in a good spell off the bench.

Widnes dominated the early play and Steve Tyer squeezed over for the opening try after seven minutes. The centre added the first of six goals from his eight kicks.

The Eagles – wearing a specially-designed playing strip sponsored by the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual) History Month and Pride Sports to help support equality and diversity in sport – came back with a try from Dane McDonald converted by Simon Brown.

Simon Finnigan put the Vikings further ahead before Tyer and hooker Kirk Netherton added quick tries.

Eagles forward Alex Rowe crashed over for a try and on half-time it looked as if Corey Hanson had touched down from a high, hanging kick by Brown but the referee ruled the centre was off-side and the teams went in with Widnes leading 12-22.

Widnes increased their lead a minute after the restart with a fine try from substitute forward David Allen and impressive loose forward Finnigan added his second try.

The Eagles could have folded but they kept going forward and teenage centre Hanson forced his way over the line with Brown adding the goal.

It raised false hopes as Widnes kept their grip on the game and Allen completed his hat-trick with tries from passes by Netherton and centre scrum-half Thomas Coyle.

Sheffield Eagles: Cottle; Mills, Hanson, Hirst, Bergin; McDonald, Brown; Howieson, Henderson, Higgins, Szostak, Streinger, Green. Substitutes: Turnbull, Hepworth, Rowe, Laulu-Togagae.

Widnes Vikings: Craven; Gaskell, Ford, Tyer, Gardner; Thackeray, Coyle; Kavanagh, Netherton, Heckenburg, Grady, Haggerty, Finnigan. Substitutes: I’Anson, Pickergill, Allen, Sculthorpe.

Referee: J Leahy (RFL).