Widnes beat Hull KR 20-16 in their Super League clash on Sunday
Last Updated: 23/03/15 10:25am
Widnes had to survive a tense finish before taking the spoils 20-16 against Hull KR at the Select Security Stadium.
Two tries in the last quarter got Rovers within touching distance but the Vikings' last-ditch defence enabled them to hold onto the two points.
Paddy Flynn (two) and Danny Galea touched down for the hosts, with the visitors' tries scored by Ben Cockayne, Ken Sio and Kris Welham.
After a couple of cautious sets, the Vikings got the scoreboard ticking when Joe Mellor and Stefan Marsh combined to create the space for right winger Flynn to cut inside two defenders on his way to the line. Jack Owens' conversion made it 6-0.
It took Rovers a while to establish any kind of bridgehead in Vikings territory but when they did a smart short grubber-kick from half-back Albert Kelly allowed full-back Cockayne to touch down wide out for a four-pointer.
Both winger Ken Sio and second row Maurice Blair went close for the Robins but a couple of penalties piggy-backed Widnes to the other end of the field where Mellor sent Galea crashing in to make it 12-4 in the home side's favour on the half-hour.
Rovers had a half-chance three minutes before the break but Flynn muscled up to prevent opposite number Josh Mantellato going over and when the Yorkshiremen were penalised for raking the ball out in the tackle, Owens was on target with a 35-metre kick to send Widnes in at half-time 14-4 to the good.
In the second half the Vikings thought they had increased their lead when Owens went crashing towards the corner flag but the officials ruled he had been bundled into touch and then a long Owens break set up a chance for opposite winger Flynn, but the result was the same.
Hull KR had their own hard-luck story when Mantellato had a try chalked off for a forward pass and from the resulting scrum Flynn broke clear for the Vikings and raced 90 metres for a dramatic score, goaled by Owens, to make it 20-4.
A clean break by Cockayne got Rovers back on the front foot and they hit back in the 62nd minute when Sio jumped highest to snatch a Terry Campese cross-kick out of the air and slam the ball down. Mantellato's conversion got his side back within 10 points.
Just three minutes later, a penalty conceded on the last tackle of a set proved costly for Widnes as their opponents swept upfield and Welham crossed for a converted try to set up a nervous last 15 minutes.
Speedster Sio appeared to have an opportunity up the right but was bundled into touch by Owens and a 40/20 attempt by Campese came up short.
In desperation with the clock ticking down, Rovers threw everything at the Widnes line but the Vikings held firm.
