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Skirlaugh coach Colin Brown could not have asked any more of his young charges as they gave Widnes Vikings a real game in the third round of the Challenge Cup, going down 60-18.
It was only an improved second-half performance by the professionals which finally took the game away from the Villagers.
Skirlaugh scored three first half tries and really had a go at the side looking for a Super league franchise at the end of this season. There was only 10 points between the two sides at half-time at 28-18, but Widnes ended the game at a canter. "It was fitness in the end which beat us, but we gave them one hell of a game out there," said Brown. "From one to 17 the players were fantastic and I would have been happy to have scored one try against Widnes but we scored three. "We had a brilliant first half and really gave them something to think about. "To be honest I think we paid them too much respect in the opening 20 minutes but when we got into the game we played well. "When we settled down there were times out there when they just couldn't handle us. "They had to throw everything at us in the second half and in fairness they played more to a structure. "They kept putting the ball deep and it meant we had to work hard to get out of defence and it was hard. "Their coach Steve McCormack has just told me we were better than the last two professional sides whom they have played. "We were better in defence and caused them some real problems in attack and this is fair praise for us. "We came to have a go at a professional side and I don't think they were 20 points better than us, let alone 60. "But they are a quality side and they are going to be a real force in the National League this season and all credit to them." The writing looked on the wall with just a minute gone when winger Gavin Dodd went in at the corner and added the conversion.
Five minutes later John Duffy worked his way over and with Dodd's second goal it looked a tough day at the office for the visitors. Inside the first 10 minutes Skirlaugh were again rocked, this time by hooker Bob Beswick as he went in from close range. But this somehow kick-started Skirlaugh into gear and they had the better of the latter part of the first half. They came up with their first try on 20 minutes when the Skirlaugh forwards made inroads into the Widnes half. The ball was then shipped out wide for centre Kirk Abel to go in and for Jordan Precious to land the touchline conversion. Three minutes later Widnes replied when former Warrington winger Dean Gaskill went in at the corner but again Skirlaugh hit back. Teenager Stu Smith showed pure class to latch onto a Widnes mistake to push off a couple of would-be tacklers to go in. Widnes managed to keep Skirlaugh at arm's length when they added their fifth try of the first half through stand off Lee Patterson. Dodd added the goal, but again Skirlaugh never gave in and when Paul Hannath scooped up a loose ball on half way it was a long way to the line but he made it. Seven minutes into the second half Widnes scored the first of their six tries through Dave Donaghue as they extended their lead to 34-18. Widnes were then reduced to 12 men when Danny Hill was sin binned for a high shot. It didn't put Widnes out of their stride as just a minute later substitute Ian Crookes went in as Dodd goaled for 40-18. Steve Atkinson was given 10 minutes for Skirlaugh for holding down as Widnes ran in four more tries through Gaskell, Dodd and two for Patterson.
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