Batley Bulldogs secure absorbing low-scoring win over Widnes Vikings

An early try from Lucas Walshaw was Batley’s only touchdown of the game, but an expert kicking performance from Luke Hooley, as well as a late drop-goal from the brilliant Josh Woods, ensured the Bulldogs went level on points with their visitors in the Championship table.

The visitors were the better side in the opening stages, despite losing their influential playmaker, Danny Craven, to injury in the first couple of minutes.

However, it was the home side who took the lead in the 14th minute after great work from Ben White and Dale Morton released Walshaw to dive over the line.

It was the third game in succession that the second-rower had scored Batley’s first try.

Hooley, playing in his third game back with the Bulldogs following a short-term loan move from Leeds Rhinos, added the extras before sending over a penalty to make it 8-0.

Widnes thought they were back in the contest when the excellent Zach Eckersley, on loan from Wigan Warriors, went over after great combination play with Ryan Ince, but the winger was adjudged to have passed forward at the crucial moment.

It was turning into a typical Batley performance, exemplified by brave defending on the line to deny a Vikings barge over just before the hooter.

In the build-up to the game, Bulldogs’ head coach Craig Lingard had insisted he had “learned a massive amount” from John Kear, Widnes’ boss, during four seasons as his assistant at Mount Pleasant.

But his side continued to thwart the Vikings in the second half and they extended their lead with another Hooley penalty, playing up the famous hill.

Matty Fozard had a try chalked off after Kieran Dixon was ruled to have made contact with Morton in mid-air.

However, after Fozard broke through the middle, he found Eckerlsey who went over to set up what could have been a grandstand finish.

But Woods kept his composure to send a drop-goal over the sticks to secure Batley’s fourth win in five league games.

Batley: Hooley, Morton, Hodson, Kear, McGowen, White, Woods, Gledhill, Kaye, Lillycrop, Buchanan, Walshaw, Reilly,

Interchanges: Burton, Hirst, Flynn, Ward

Tries: Walshaw

Conversions: Hooley

Penalties: Hooley (2)

Drop Goal: Woods

Widnes: Fleming, Ince, Eckersley, Edge, Dixon, Craven, Owens, Farnworth, Fozard, Field, Wilde, Lawton, Johnstone

Interchanges: Amor, Hatton, Jones, Walker

Tries: Eckersley