MATCH REPORT - 14^th October 2006 – Vagabonds v Widnes 34 - 29

Skanco Vagabonds played Widnes in their fifth match of the season and were looking for their second home win.

Things started off very well for Vagabonds who forced Widnes into their own half and with constant pressure Vagabonds scored a try which was unconverted to put the score 5 – 0.

More pressure from Vagabonds saw Widnes’ defence hold Vagabonds out and eventually Widnes slowly worked their way up the pitch into Vagabonds 22 and from a line-out saw Widnes catch and drive over Vagabonds’ line to take the score to 5 – 7.  This did not affect Vagabonds’ style of play and again Vagabonds moved the play into the Widnes half.   But slow ball from the Vagabonds’ scrum meant that Widnes had time to organise their defence.  This is something that the coaches need to work on.

Vagabonds eventually broke the Widnes defence to score another unconverted try, taking the score to 10 – 7.  Vagabonds capitalised on this by scoring another unconverted try bringing the half time to 15 – 7.

In the second half both sides were willing to play an open style of game and it was Widnes that were first to score when some poor tackling by Vagabonds allowed the Widnes no. 10 to run in for an unconverted try taking the score to 15 – 12.  

Vagabonds managed to get their act together and turned the screws on Widnes and managed to score two tries one of which was converted to take the score to 27 – 12.  Again, Vagabonds applied more pressure on to the Widnes defence and scored a converted try taking the score to 34 – 12. 

At this stage the spectators thought that the home side were going to run away with the game.  But Widnes had other ideas.  It was at this point that Vagabonds supporters started to have palpitations!  Widnes scored an unconverted try to take the score to 34 – 17.  You would have thought that this was not a problem.  But then Vagabonds lost their full back Dirk Maree to the sin bin for a high tackle and Vagabonds discipline collapsed and they gave away a series of penalties which resulted in their skipper Kevin Riley being sin-binned for 10 minutes for killing the ball.  Widnes then scored two tries one of which was converted which took the score to 34 - 29.  The spectators were now seriously worried.  As the game went into extra time luck was on Vagabonds’ side as the two players who had been sin-binned returned to the field and held Widnes at bay until the final whistle with a scoreline of 34 – 29.

The Simcocks Man of the Match was Vagabonds’ wing forward Gericke Scheurkogel.  Mention should also be made of Vagabonds’ captain, Kevin Riley and full back Dirk Maree who both had outstanding games.

Photo courtesy of IOM Newspapers ©