Sale FC 15 Widnes 37 (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Sale FC 15 Widnes 37

1:08pm Thursday 29th April 2010 in

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WIDNES saw off the challenge of bogey team Sale, to end the season in second spot and a play off game for promotion away at Kirkby Lonsdale.

Nobody can say that Widnes should be denied this chance of glory in this their 50th anniversary year. It was their first ever victory at Sale, but more importantly, it was their eleventh straight league win – a record - which has to be promotion form in anybody’s book.

Early pressure from the front row of Moss, Glover and Williamson ended with a Widnes penalty from Jon Hetherington to give them the lead. From the restart a kick down field from Andrew Riley took a wicked bounce straight back into the hands of the full back who freed up the rest of the Widnes backs before receiving the last pass to cross for the opening try of the afternoon.

The conversion from Hetherington made it 10-0.

After a Sale penalty Wids hity back when Tom McMuldroch sent Gareth Riley in, converted by Hetherington eased Widnes further out at 17-3.

With Widnes winning the forward battle, Phil Glover and Gareth Riley again worked well, this time to put Gavin Hatton to make it 22-3 at half time.

Widnes extended their lead as a clever Riley chip through was collected by Gavin Hatton who crossed for his second try.

On the hour mark Lamb and Harrison combined and a kick and chase saw another youngster Chris Morgan put Gareth Riley over for his second.

Chris Morgan crossed for another.

Sale grabbed some consolation but there was a huge cheer as the result from Douglas Valley came through confirming that Widnes had qualified for the play-off and a crack at promotion for the second year in a row.