Widnes 28-20 Leeds: Vikings dent Rhinos' top-four bid

Match stats: Widnes 28-20 Leeds

Widnes tries: Hanbury (19), Ince (32,72), Thompson (35,75), Heremaia (61)
Conversions: Bri
Goals: Bridge (62,73) 

Leeds tries: Handley (10), Watkins (22), Ward (29), Cuthbertson (67)
Goals: Sutcliffe (23,69) 

Match report

Widnes rookie Ryan Ince scored a sensational brace as the Vikings toppled Leeds 28-20 to dent their top-four bid in Super League.

Widnesian Ince, 20, went over for tries in both halves to hit the Rhinos for six in a game which saw the lead swap hands three times in the closing stages.

Ince was well backed up Corey Thompson, who also bagged a double - his second effort putting the game well beyond Leeds' reach.

It was the one-two combination of Ince and Thompson in the final 10 minutes that proved a hammer blow to the Rhinos, the win giving Widnes a flicker of hope of dragging themselves off the bottom of the table over the remaining fixtures of the campaign.

Three scores apiece was a fair reflection of the first 40 minutes before the second half erupted into an entertaining game of rugby.

Ash Handley got Leeds ticking over on 12 minutes as he forced his way over following a sweeping Rhinos move out wide.

Widnes hit back through the impressive Rhys Hanbury, with the Australian chiming in from full-back to score on the right edge.

Experienced Leeds centre Kallum Watkins was next to cross as he touched down a loose ball that ricocheted across a Viking's chest to put Leeds back in front.

The visitors began to turn the screw with Adam Cuthbertson, Stevie Ward and Brett Ferres beginning to cause the Vikings problems with a neat offload game.

Their slick hands gave the Rhinos some excellent territory to build pressure and it was not long before Ward went crashing over to make it 14-4.

Leeds were well in command and they should have registered more points but they were hit with a massive sucker punch as Widnes clawed their way back in to contention.

The man causing the problems for the visitors was Rangi Chase, making his home debut.

He first sparked the comeback when he delivered a lovely show-and-go and eventual pass to Ince, who finished in spectacular fashion.

Then Chase fired up a towering kick that was batted back by Charly Runciman into the arms of Thompson for Widnes' third try of the afternoon.

The only difference between the two sides was a solitary conversion from Liam Sutcliffe. His opposite number, Chris Bridge, failed to land one.

With 20 minutes left the game was on a knife edge at 14-12 in Leeds' favour.

Vikings substitute Aaron Heremaia burrowed his way over for a score that gave Widnes the lead for the first time but it was to be short lived as Cuthbertson struck following a big hit from Brad Singleton on Hep Cahill.

Sutcliffe's conversion inched Leeds ahead by two points but the game was still in the balance before the Vikings raided the Rhinos.

Ince was set free by a well-worked Vikings move that he finished in style, rounding Sutcliffe to ground.

Bridge was this time successful with the conversion to give Widnes the initiative.

The scene was then set for Thompson to seal the win as he powered over with only three minutes to go, sending the Vikings fans wild.

Leeds tried to rally at the death but ran out of time, even skewing a short kick off target as they hit the panic button.

Match reaction

Widnes coach Denis Betts: "I'm a happy man. It was one of those bizarre situations where I was feeling a bit aggrieved in some of the things we'd done or not done to close the game out - and then we score two tries.

"I had the 'here we go again' feeling. We just needed to win this tight one. Leeds are a pretty good side. They had no Danny Maguire but not many more (players missing) so this is a fantastic win for us.

"This victory has been coming. We have been pushing and pushing. We have played well in patches but never been far off. We need to start winning - we can't keep saying 'if only'. There are games where we have been in control and lost: Wigan, Hull and Castleford. The facts are we should have won those games but didn't.

"We are now starting to get players back and the likes of Rangi Chase is now getting more sessions under his belt so he's understanding what we're about. He's getting used to the calls and more comfortable with the other players."

"[Ince]'s a product of the system - a system the RFL told us to forget five years ago. We kept on with it and just look at what we are doing bringing local players through.

"Ryan is one of those. He showed his quality in the chances he has been given.

"He's a great finisher and he just loves scoring tries. He knows the opportunities are there and he just puts the blinkers on and goes for it. He's a special talent."

Leeds head coach Brian McDermott: "Widnes are fighting for their lives and that performance they put in is a reflection of that. I have to give Widnes massive credit. Denis has asked for a reaction from his players and he got one.

"We tried hard to break Widnes down and it was a case of six out of 10 on too many occasions. It was hard to build momentum in the game

"I didn't think energy was the issue out there. I though we looked fit, we didn't have any fitness worries with the players that were out there. We didn't lack energy - it was a case of the dynamics of the game that let us down.

"There were some soft tries in there. Our last tackle plays were very poor and we gifted Widnes with a hell of a lot of possession in good areas, and they made the most of it.

"The only positive is that we didn't pick any injuries up."