Many voted for party as protest against government while others have detached completely from politics The boss, as aides call him, was on his way. It was 2.30am and Nigel Farage had arrived at a Cheshire leisure centre, ready to declare victory in the closely-fought Runcorn and Helsby byelection But as camera crews gathered, Reform UK officials who were ready to welcome their leader frantically scrambled back to the ballot boxes It would be another three hours before Farage sauntered into the DCBL Stadium looking relaxed despite the knife-edge contest that had left his sleep-deprived aides looking increasingly frazzled The 61-year-old laughed off claims he had spent daybreak touring Widnes after aborting his earlier grand entrance absolutely no question,” declared the perma-tanned populist as his party grasped hold of one of Labour’s safest seats by just six votes after a dramatic recount It was the narrowest parliamentary byelection win this century On the southern banks of the River Mersey in Cheshire from the post-industrial town of Runcorn to the Conservative villages around Frodsham Reform UK had united an uneasy coalition of voters against Labour One party activist described its supporters as a combination of “those who set their alarm for work in the morning and are angry at those who don’t – and those who don’t” had relied on those who despise Farage – and they span all political shades – but it was not enough to save their 14,700-vote majority Many had voted for Reform UK as a protest against the government Others expressed their displeasure more creatively “I’ve never seen so many drawings of penises,” said one seasoned Labour campaigner after examining spoiled ballot papers The discontent was palpable on Friday in Murdishaw a 1970s housing estate in Runcorn where barely one in four voted in Thursday’s contest – the lowest turnout in the constituency was horrified when told by the Guardian that Reform had won by just six votes adding: “I forgot all about [the election] Underlying Reform UK’s dismantling of the historic two-party system in Westminster is a much more troubling trend: the growing numbers of voters detaching completely from politics a former Conservative councillor and local magistrate becomes the first non-Labour MP elected by Runcorn in more than half a century But 200 miles across northern England, Reform gained its most powerful role yet as Andrea Jenkyns, a former Tory MP, was crowned mayor of the newly created authority of Greater Lincolnshire with a thumping 40,000-vote lead over the Conservatives Andrea Jenkyns took a 40,000-vote lead over her Conservative rival to become the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty ImagesVoters will now look to Greater Lincolnshire Durham and Staffordshire to see what Reform UK can do in power Jenkyns has pledged to ape Elon Musk’s cost-cutting “department of government efficiency” by launching a “Doge Lincolnshire” Jenkyns wasted no time in burnishing her hard-right credentials in her victory speech telling the count centre in Grimsby that vulnerable asylum seekers should be forced to sleep in tents rather than housed in hotels they should be good enough for here in Britain,” she said Speaking at a celebratory rally later on Friday at a working men’s club in County Durham saying Reform-run areas would “resist” efforts by central government to house asylum seekers locally The elections were “a truly historic landmark” Conservative voters in the leafy village of Kingsley which recorded the constituency’s highest turnout “It’s gone from Labour and that’s a good thing,” said one cheerful retiree said he believed the byelection was won as a result of divisive national concerns such as immigration rather than local issues “I think there’s been a lot of noise created around this and a lot of noise by Reform,” he said making statements about illegal immigrants – who are not the same as asylum seekers – and trying to bias the views of the public.” Allan Coleman has again named a 19-man squad for Sunday’s clash with Hunslet at the South Leeds Stadium The match is scheduled to kick off at 3pm as the Vikings look to get back to winning ways in the Championship Matt Fleming just misses out as he continues to manage a hamstring injury; he is expected to return for next week’s clash with Featherstone 8  DAN MURRAY (KJ PLUMBING & HEATING CHESHIRE LTD) 12  DANNY LANGTREE (HALTON & ST HELENS VCA) 15  LIAM BENT (HAROLD PRESCOTT & SONS LTD) 21  GAVIN BENNION (VIKINGS AWAY TRAVEL @ THE VILLAGE CLUB WIDNES) WIDNES held off a rousing rally by Hunslet who were 18-0 adrift midway through the first half but only four points behind 13 minutes into the second period That extended their winning sequence in this fixture to three games although the sides had only met once since 2011 due to York’s success at London Broncos a day earlier Several Widnes players had extra reason to celebrate personal milestones with Rhodri Loyd making his 300th career appearance and Dan Murray his 200th Jack Owens needed only one point to breach the 1,000 mark for Widnes but was unable to get on the scoresheet Brad Clavering and Ross Whitmore back from injury but lacked Kevin Larroyer who was sidelined after the recent win at Batley Greg Eden was selected at fullback ahead of Jimmy Watson but the visitors had much the better of the opening exchanges making territory with alarming ease from the perspective of home supporters and were 12-0 up within the first seven minutes Hooker Matty Fozard burrowed over in the fifth minute – shortly after Hunslet had gone close when Coby Nichol was bundled into touch – and Tom Gilmore landed the first of four goals from five attempts Danny Langtree was next over the whitewash and Widnes went 18-0 up after Mike Butt dotted down out wide courtesy of telling approach work by Gilmore and Owens That try followed what could have been Hunslet’s first score a smart kick by Lee Gaskell – who was superb throughout with ball in hand or from the boot – just eluding Matty Fletcher At that stage Widnes looked like running riot against a side who are bottom of the section but won’t be there for long if they can reproduce the form shown in the remainder of the contest for longer spells Hunslet opened their account seven minutes before the break Mackenzie Scurr crossing out wide off Eden’s sweetly-timed pass Lachlan Hanneghan forced his way over from short range Widnes found themselves only four points in front Rugless – with his first touch after coming off the bench – sparking a raid in which Aaron Levy gave Nichol the chance to force his way over despite the attentions of a posse of defenders and Hunslet were subsequently penalised when in possession for leading with the elbow and after Widnes had been granted another penalty Liam Welham and Hanneghan being halted by desperate defence Harrison Gilmore’s pass being ruled forward when play was switched to the left with Widnes sealing their win when Butt grabbed his second try with a couple of minutes remaining whose two tries were pivotal to the outcome GAMEBREAKER: Fozard’s second touchdown helped give the Vikings a ten-point lead Vote for your Vikings Player of the Match from this after today’s 28-14 victory over Hunslet at the South Leeds Stadium It was a well-deserved two points for the Vikings who snapped a run of four games without a win The Vikings returned to winning ways with a 28-14 victory over Hunslet at the South Leeds Stadium Allan Coleman’s side made a bright start taking the lead after just five minutes when Matty Fozard dummied his way through the defence Danny Langtree extended the advantage to 12 points backing up a break from Joe Edge to cross the line the Vikings pulled further ahead as Mike Butt finished off a sweeping move from left to right to score out wide Hunslet responded on the stroke of half-time with Mackenzie Scurr finishing off a move to reduce the deficit to 14 points at the break The hosts carried that momentum into the second half with tries from Lachlan Hannaghan and Coby Nichol bringing them back within four points any concerns of a Vikings collapse were quickly dispelled The influential Fozard burrowed over for his second of the game to restore a two-score cushion the Vikings sealed the win late on as Butt bagged his brace taking a neat flick from Jack Owens to round off a much-needed 28-14 victory We turn our attention to a big clash against Featherstone Rovers at the DCBL Stadium. Tickets are available HERE South Leeds Life Hunslet lost out to Widnes Vikings at the South Leeds Stadium yesterday (4 May 2025) after giving their opponents an 18 point start From the kick-off the Vikings broke the first tackle and put Hunslet on the back foot but finding themselves in an attacking position moments later Hunslet wasted the chance It was a sloppy start but Widnes had some luck after a loose carry was adjudged to be knocked down From the attacking play Matthew Fozzard found his way over on Moments later another Widnes break through poor defence sent Danny Langtree in under the posts Hunslet started to find their feet and Harrison Gilmore went close before Lachy Hannaghan’s kick was a touch too strong More Parksiders pressure and Billy Jowitt and Keelan Foster challenged the Widnes line 20 minutes in and a dropped pass in Hunslet’s own half meant Widnes could attack Again on the last tackle the line was broke this time Michael Butt scored in the corner The Vikings now smelt blood and blew a certain try with a four to one overload then had a try chalked off for a forward pass But Hunslet persisted and on 33 minutes after a penalty a superb Greg Eden ball sent Mackenzie Scurr over in the corner unchallenged Foster and Gilmore were running well for the Parksiders but at the break Hunslet trailed 4-18 The second half started positively for Hunslet Lee Gaskell kicked a 40/20 and from the ensuing play Lachlan Hanneghan forced his way over Aaron Levy went close and Hanneghan again was unlucky when a neat little kick was plucked out of the air by a Widnes defender On 53 minutes Hanneghan made a midfield break and fed Aaron Levy who sent the ball out wide for Coby Nichol to score in the corner Hunslet now had the ascendancy and were unlucky when a diving Widnes defender stopped a Lee Gaskell 40/20 but on 66 minutes standout player Matthew Fozzard dummied his way over from acting half back stretching Widnes’s lead to 14-24 Superb ball handling sent Hunslet away on the right hand side but as Hunslet passed out to the left the ball was dropped and the chance and probably the game was gone Widnes wrapped it up on 78 minutes when a good ball sent Michael Butt over for his second try Lee Gaskell and Lachy Hanneghan all tried to force a late score Widnes held on to win It was frustrating that Hunslet made early mistakes in the Championship you cannot get away with it But with Brad Clavering and Kobe Rugless returning from injury and Greg Eden being instrumental they can take positives from large parts of this game Lachy Hanneghan won Phoenix Bar supporters Man of the Match and Greg Eden the Tricks of the Trade sponsors Man of the Match There were also good performances from Harrison Gilmore Hunslet travel to York Knights nest Sunday (11 May) 4pm kick-off Photo: Mackenzie Scurr scores Hunslet’s opener South Leeds Life is published by a not-for-profit social enterprise We keep our costs as low as possible but we’ve been hit by increases in the print costs for our monthly newspaper which have doubled in the last two years Could you help support local community news by making a one off donation or even better taking out a supporters subscription Donate here, or sign up for a subscription at bit.ly/SLLsubscribe Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Find out how to become a Sponsor here South Leeds Life is regulated by IMPRESS and adheres to its standards code However, if you feel we have breached the code in any way and wish to make a complaint, please submit your complaint, in writing to the editor Our complaints procedure is available here Administrators login Sign our campaign for a grant funding review KKR and Mirastar acquired the site in January 2024 Considered the largest speculative industrial and logistics hub in the North West X-Dock 549 will sit in the Liverpool Freeport Zone The unit’s eventual tenant could benefit from up to £15m in savings from Freeport incentives offered by the government Spanning 549,000 sq ft and sitting on a 33-acre plot The shed is available for immediate occupation In January 2024, KKR and Mirastar acquired the site located north-west of the Mersey off Lovels Way in Widnes in a £65m forward funding deal The deal saw Marshall CDP retained as the developer for the scheme The project could create up to 500 jobs and has the potential to become a major national and international hub for the region Locational benefits include proximity to the national motorway network Cushman & Wakefield and Savills are the joint leasing agents appointed to market X-Dock 549 partner in Cushman & Wakefield’s national logistics and industrial team said: “This is an incredibly exciting and unique addition to the North West industrial and logistics market “Being located in the Liverpool City Freeport Zone occupiers will have access to a range of incentives – including tax and innovation – with potential cost savings of up to £15m.” He continued: “Liverpool Freeport is a key international destination for trade coupled with the attractive benefits on offer is generating significant interest from a range of interested potential occupiers.” added he was proud to see the shed nearing completion He said: “It’s not just the specification of X-Dock 549 that is market leading but the opportunity to access substantial Freeport benefits and business support through the Freeport team is outstanding “There are up to £15m of savings available to potential occupiers that meet the Freeport criteria – an exceptional benefit that businesses don’t always realise that they could be eligible for.” Read our comments policy A blot on the landscape that was built on land ment for westcoast railway use COULD CREATE 500 JOBS,COULD BEING THE OPERATIVE WORD! subsiding big sheds and traffic heavy end use warehouses and distribution points creating low paid jobs it would have made more sense to build a factory and stop being reliant on importing goods big business don’t care about the invirmant How many times does it mention “potential £15m saving” zero hour contract misery employer will move in to exploit us Contractor Morris & Spottiswood has begun building the facility off Market Street a short distance from the outdated station it will replace Liverpool City Council is expected to grant planning approval for the highly anticipated project the latest milestone in a drawn-out process to provide enhanced public transport provision in the lively district Register for free North West property intelligence Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Widnes Vikings are delighted to announce that Dan Murray has signed a new two-year deal that will keep him with the club until at least the end of 2027 It is an initial two-year deal with triggers for a third-year option signed for the Vikings in February last season and has gone on to make 41 appearances He has appeared in all 12 of the Vikings’ competitive matches this season one of only five players to have done so in 2025 it’s probably the quickest decision I’ve made in my career I probably do the stuff that goes unnoticed but it’s really good to be at a place where that is highlighted a lot.” He added: “We need to make sure we’re getting back in the playoffs again this season and we’re having honest conversations in that video room at the moment.“ Head Coach Allan Coleman said: “I’m really glad to get Diz over the line he’s a quality player and there’s been a lot of interest from other Championship clubs he’s hard working on the field and a great person off it “He loves playing for the club and he’s very good at what he does so it was a no-brainer for us.” Retentions like this are assisted by the fantastic Widnes VIPS scheme in place to assist in strengthening the Vikings’ squad. If fans wish to sign up for the scheme, they can do so here Everyone at the club is delighted to see Dan extend his stay and can’t wait to see him pulling on the jersey for many years to come The framework has been produced to form a set of spatial strategies and deliverables to rewrite the future of Widnes town centre and WSP have drawn up an outline plan that earmarks a clutch of sites for regeneration Halton Council’s executive committee has now approved the framework and will begin to follow the spatial strategies it has set out The Widnes Town Centre Regeneration Framework has been informed by both the PLACED Widnes Town Centre Engagement Report and the Widnes Town Centre Parking Key areas considered under the town centre boundary include the sites of Albert Square Allocated as the primary shopping area of Widnes town centre a full redevelopment of the site could unlock more than 53,800 sq ft of space for a commercial anchor tenant as well as up to 130 homes across a mix of apartments It is expected that a residential scheme would rise to between three and four storeys which would provide both residential and non-residential use Existing blocks to the east of Albert Square could be retrofitted for workspace with potential for further extensions to provide for more residential or workspace uses above retrofit-led redevelopment plans for Albert Square are also under consideration – a retrofit approach would not yield as many residential units but would maintain the nearly 54,000 sq ft provision of commercial space The site where the Bingo Hall currently stands represents the largest development opportunity considered in the framework provide ample land for the exploration of the next phase of Widnes Shopping Park presenting a fruitful retail-led development opportunity which fronts the high street from the site in question Widnes Shopping Park has the potential for a mix of town centre uses ranging from retail and workspace and according to the framework the site provides a “front door to many who visit” due to the direct link off Watkinson Way The framework identifies the 150-year-old Widnes market as an “important asset to the town” which requires enhancement to effectively bookend the northern tip of the high street and integration of active uses at the market’s entrance will aim to help welcome more people to the area Plans suggest the market could connect to the high street via the creation of a public space able to double as a retail spill-out area A relocation of the outside market has been floated with other locations considered such as a spot at Albert Square or the Green Oaks shopping centre’s service yard This would open vacant land to the north and east of the market which has also been earmarked for future development into a gateway site to the town centre The high street would form the core pedestrian route through the town centre The plan sets out a ‘high street first approach’ for the town centre The high street works would constitute the spine of the town centre cutting through Widnes from north to south Various opportunities for retail and active travel improvements are under consideration for this stretch of the town centre and bold signage would “announce change” and “test interventions” Longer-term plans aim to rebalance Widnes Road and Albert Road the two key streets that run through Widnes centre as an effective high street Public realm enhancements in the form of widened pathways and improved sustainable transport connections are all under consideration The site of the former Kingsway leisure centre presents an opportunity for residential-led development following the start of its demolition in March Plans outline the creation of a ‘gateway’ neighbourhood with the potential for around 120 homes to be targeted at families and older persons and tied to the town centre with a landscape-led public realm Halton Borough Council believes the site can provide a “statement of ambition and act as a catalyst for further investment and change” and serve as part of a pedestrian route into the town centre The town’s leisure centre has been relocated to Moor Lane, with the £31m project known as Halton Leisure Centre, replacing the old Kingsway building. Everything appears to go to Widnes new sports centre 3 supermarkets and a decent shopping centre .Once again the Runcorn Labour councillers kowtow to Widnes.I would recommend vote fpr a labour MP but th Labour councillers are poor Widnes getting everything again and again ,look over the river for a change Has everyone in the council forgotten about Runcorn All the development is a good thing but all these new homes where’s the schools to accommodate the children And health care i.e doctors surgeries and dentist,as we now can’t get school places or doctors appointments with the current infrastructure so what’s going to change Typical of halton council… Widnes gets EVERYTHING and Runcorn is left to ROT What are the council doing to improve Runcorn while the people in Widnes watched as Runcorn got investment there are plans available to show what development is currently planned for Runcorn and it’s already started Isn’t it about time Runcorn had a big regeneration plan Widnes has already got so much in the way of decent shops what’s Runcorn had expansion on the Brindley and a waste of money fancy paving at Runcorn railway station that serves no purpose to be spent on 8 different projects for Runcorn Or have we conveniently forgotten about it but I would have thought it best to keep the indoor and outdoor market together but it is really suffering because of the new parking charges which have put a lot of people off There shouldn’t be any charge at all it needs to be made much clearer that you don’t have to go back and display your ticket in the car and people have always travelled far to visit it Please act quickly to do your best to save it Please save Widnes market – get rid of parking charges which have had a disastrous effect As a Runcorn resident I would like to add my voice to those below and call for parity in investment Just last week we saw headlines in a national newspaper listing Runcorn as the 4th most depressing town in England I agree that Widnes town centre needs a revamp however it is vastly superior to both The City & the Old Town I struggled to find an 18th birthday card for my son in Runcorn and had to go online for one Without significant investment we stand to fail as a community The pro Widnes bias of HBC also risks creating resentment and a north/south divide Anyone from runcorn who votes Labour in local elections are misguided Once again Runcorn gets overlooked in place of Widnes it’s all well and good giving Runcorn a new but completely pointless new station forecourt ,when you can’t be bothered to do anything about the rundown old town and shopping centre Why is the leisure centre smaller than the last one but there’s more people in the town than ever You couldn’t get a swimming lane in the last one and the pools smaller now Decent groups and shows will increase footfall and then the businesses will come I hope the plans include planting of trees and green spaces We need them to improve the look of the town centre They need to do something because at the min widnes is shocking all the empty shops and the market is shocking the council need to lower the price they charge for shops for a year and when they are up and running then put the rent up A number of companies associated with the Southport business have entered administration as a City of London Police investigation continues The City Visitor Charge will haul in an estimated £9.2m over the next two years Widnes Vikings are delighted to announce the immediate signing of Morgan McWhirter from Limoux Grizzlies on a deal until the end of 2026 The 23-year-old Australian forward has previously played for the Mackay Cutters and Townsville Blackhawks before his move to the Super XIII in 2024 McWhirter could well arrive in the UK in time to feature against Featherstone next weekend McWhirter said: “I’m so excited to be joining the team for the rest of this season and 2026 and hear some of the brilliant chants that come with the English culture “I’m hoping I can bring an extra dimension to the forward pack I know the fans will be really welcoming and I’m just hoping to repay them by playing some good footy.” Allan Coleman said: “It’s fantastic to get Morgan over the line We’ve kept a close eye on him and have been working with his agent for a couple of months now “He’s played at a good level in Australia and came through some really great systems “Hopefully he’ll come on board and have a big impact for us he’s renowned for being really aggressive and having great go-forward.” Signings like this are made possible due to the fantastic Widnes VIPS scheme in place to assist in strengthening the Vikings’ squad. If fans wish to sign up for the scheme, they can do so here. Tickets for our upcoming Championship clash with Hunslet at the South Leeds Stadium are available HERE.  👀 Take a look at what our new recruit has to offer…#VikingsForevermore pic.twitter.com/tVwo0wwPbf — Widnes Vikings (@WidnesRL) April 29, 2025 The club can provide details on the availability of our Vikings Mascot Package for our May The popular package continues to provide unforgettable experiences for young Widnes fans now is the perfect time to secure your place for one of our remaining fixtures with our fixtures against Featherstone Rovers (10th May) and Toulouse Olympique (28th June) all now fully booked with limited availability remaining for three exciting home fixtures at the DCBL Stadium Places are still available for our fixtures with York Knights (22nd June) These games offer the perfect opportunity for a young Vikings supporter to enjoy the ultimate matchday experience To book or find out more, contact our Commercial Team by emailing commercial@widnesvikings.co.uk, calling 0151 495 2250. You can also book hospitality packages online HERE Don’t miss the chance to give your child a matchday experience they’ll never forget Allan Coleman has named his 21-man squad for our Good Friday clash with Oldham at the DCBL Stadium (3pm) The Vikings are forced into a number of changes following last Sunday’s defeat to Barrow welcoming five players on Dual Registration from Warrington Wolves The club would like to extend our thanks to Warrington for their support ahead of Friday’s game Max Roberts will miss Friday’s game after he was forced from the field with a knee injury in Sunday’s defeat to Barrow Matt Fleming also drops out after sustaining a hamstring injury in the late stages of the game who played on with an ankle injury but is not deemed fit enough for Friday’s game Rhys Williams and Ryan Lannon remain unavailable The Vikings can welcome back one player as Nick Gregson is available again having now served his three-match suspension Tickets are available HERE Widnes Vikings supporters can follow the team on the road in comfort and style thanks to our dedicated coach travel partners Whether you’re heading to a local clash or an away day further afield there are several trusted options available to help you get there hassle-free and in good company Here’s how you can book your place on the coach for upcoming away fixtures: 🚌 Vikings Away Travel @ The Village ClubTo reserve your seat 🚌 Vikings Away Supporters TravelFor enquiries and bookings so fans are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment and departure points vary depending on the fixture so please contact your preferred travel partner directly for full details Let’s pack the stands and get behind the lads—home or away Join us this Sunday as we take on Hunslet at the South Leeds Stadium. Tickets are available HERE The Vikings suffered another heavy defeat this afternoon falling 37-12 to Barrow Raiders on a challenging afternoon at the DCBL Stadium Allan Coleman’s side once again struggled to recover from a poor first-half showing slipping to back-to-back defeats for the second time this season opening the scoring through Luke Broadbent after a sequence of offloads created space for the centre to finish out wide powering through the middle of the Widnes defence to touch down under the posts The Vikings responded through Matt Fleming who broke through from fullback and rounded Luke Cresswell to finish a classy solo try an error on the ensuing set from Martyn Reilly handed Barrow another opportunity That gave the Raiders an 18-6 lead heading into the break Widnes absorbed some early second-half pressure but were undone when Declan Patton’s pass was intercepted by Teare who released Tee Ritson to race away and score further stretching the visitors’ advantage Mike Butt clawed one back for the Vikings after chasing down a clever grubber from Jack Owens but hopes of a comeback were short-lived as Brad Walker slotted over a drop goal to make it a three-score game adding two late tries through Ellis Robson and Cresswell to seal a comprehensive 37-12 win We look for a response on Good Friday as we take on in-form Oldham at the DCBL Stadium. Tickets are available HERE The Vikings fell to a 26-12 defeat against York Knights at the LNER Community Stadium this afternoon Allan Coleman’s side suffered their third defeat in four games to close out a difficult month in April The Knights took the lead through Liam Harris who took an offload before stepping inside to score under the posts when Connor Bailey reached out to dot down out wide who finished acrobatically in the corner after some nice link-up play from Joe Edge and Jack Owens created the space for the winger to squeeze in Another late try stung Widnes before the break as Joe Brown backed up a series of offloads to score and send the hosts into the sheds with a 16-6 lead An early try in the second half all but sealed the result for the Knights as Ata Hingano took a short pass to stroll in under the posts and extend the lead to 16 points Jesse Dee was sent to the sin bin with 10 minutes to go for a dangerous tackle on Liam Bent and the Vikings took advantage of the numerical advantage as Ryan Ince crossed in the corner to cut the deficit It proved to be no more than a consolation as the Knights hammered home their superiority with a final try on the hooter as Jones-Bishop crossed to secure a 26-12 victory The Vikings will look for a response next Sunday as we travel to Hunslet, looking to turn around this tough run of form. Tickets are available HERE Privacy Policy Data Protection Policy ©2021 Copyright Warrington Wolves The Vikings were forced to settle for a share of the points after a hard-fought 10-10 draw with Oldham at the DCBL Stadium Allan Coleman’s side overcame a ten-point deficit to secure a valuable point in a fiery Good Friday contest Oldham flew out of the blocks in the opening stages who finished acrobatically in the corner after a move from deep The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and they looked to be in for a second with Lukas Mason but a vital last-ditch tackle from Danny Langtree denied him The Vikings grew into the game in the latter stages of the first half and twice looked to be in for tries through Langtree his first effort under the posts was ruled out for obstruction while another was chalked off after he was deemed offside from a Tom Gilmore kick The Roughyeds held on to take a four-point lead into the break and started the second half in similar fashion crossing early through Jack Johnson for a well-worked team try following another break from deep who took a short ball from Joe Lyons to stroll under the posts just shy of the hour mark Widnes looked set to strike again as debutant Luke Thomas saw the line open up in front of him but he couldn’t take in Matty Fozard’s pass The Vikings continued to push and found the leveller after more slick link-up play between Lyons and Lloyd with the former again providing a short ball for the latter to crash over out wide with less than 10 minutes to play A missed conversion from Gilmore set up a tense finish as each team pressed for a decisive score Both sides tried for a drop goal in the final stages Josh Drinkwater for Oldham and Jack Owens for the Vikings A late kick from Dean sailed out on the full but Gilmore’s one-pointer was charged down as the hooter sounded leaving the sides to settle for a point apiece after an absorbing 10-10 draw We turn our attention to another trip to the LNER Community Stadium next Sunday as we take on York Knights. Tickets are available HERE. Widnes Vikings can confirm that forward Ryan Lannon has been released from his contract with immediate effect The decision to release the 29-year-old comes after he was unable to meet the expectations outlined in the terms of his contract Ryan arrived at the DCBL Stadium part‑way through the 2024 Betfred Championship campaign making 17 appearances for the club and scoring two tries We would like to wish him the best for the future The club will be making no further comment Vote for your Vikings Try of the Month for April We’ve selected our favourite four tries from our April fixtures for you to choose from 🗳️ Vote for your Vikings Try of the Month 🏉 We’ve selected our favourite four tries from our April fixtures for you to choose from VOTE – https://t.co/oGt6CVsIKS#VikingsForevermore pic.twitter.com/W8ebpWZu5N — Widnes Vikings (@WidnesRL) May 1, 2025 We’re excited to announce that registration for the Widnes Vikings “Futures” Programme is now open This is your opportunity to be part of our development pathway for 2025 and build on the success of 2024 as we continue to develop the talent in Halton and its surrounding areas The programme is OPEN to all aspiring players U12’s through to and including U18’s aligned with the RFL ‘Lions Development Programme’ The club can provide an update on our current injury casualties Jordan Johnstone is now fully fit after recovering from a stress fracture in his back he is set to return this Sunday against Hunslet Matty Fozard exited Sunday’s game with York with a suspected broken hand; however an X-ray has revealed that it is not broken He continues to be assessed by the club’s medical staff and could be in contention to feature this Sunday against Hunslet Matt Fleming has continued to manage a niggling hamstring injury that has kept him out of our last two games He is attempting to run in training and will be in contention for this weekend’s game Max Roberts has now had his scan on a knee injury sustained against Barrow Raiders The injury is not as severe as first feared with the scan revealing it is just a sprain Declan Patton remains sidelined for an indefinite period after suffering an ankle injury in our defeat to Barrow his scan results have revealed he does not need surgery Lewis Hall is now out of a boot after having successful surgery on an ankle injury last month Liam Kirk did not return for the second half in Sunday’s defeat to York due to illness He has now recovered and will be available for selection this Sunday The Vikings bowed out of the Challenge Cup at the Fourth Round stage after a 26-16 defeat to Warrington Wolves at the DCBL Stadium Allan Coleman’s side led twice in the game but couldn’t hold on in the end as the visitors edged a thrilling derby contest It was the Vikings who struck first as Danny Langtree took a short ball from Matty Fozard to power over from close range The Vikings went close to a second as Tom Gilmore stabbed a kick in behind for Ryan Ince but he couldn’t quite gather the bouncing ball and the chance went begging Warrington finally put points on the board just past the half-hour mark as George Williams slipped an offload to Adam Holroyd to cross over The visitors then grabbed their second try as the half-time hooter sounded when a hopeful cross-field kick bounced up for Josh Thewlis to touch down in the corner The Vikings hit back early in the second half with a sensational try from deep as Mike Butt broke down the right edge before finding Matt Fleming in support to score Warrington looked to have found an immediate response as Alfie Johnson appeared to have a stroll in but as he rounded off to score closer to the posts a brilliant last-ditch effort from Butt dislodged the ball the Vikings hit the front through Jack Owens as he took a neatly worked inside pass from Gilmore to cross and establish a 16-10 lead The Wire cranked up the pressure and despite some valiant defence from the Vikings they finally made it pay as Max Wood broke a tackle to draw level Warrington finally took the lead again with less than 10 minutes to play as a cross-field kick bounced over the heads of Butt and Owens before being gathered by Ben Currie for the try The visitors added some gloss to the scoreline late on as Zane Musgrove powered over but it didn’t take away from a valiant display by the Vikings who fell to a 26-16 defeat We turn our attention to a big clash with Doncaster at the Eco-Power Stadium. Tickets are available HERE The Wire booked our place in the last 16 with victory over Whitehaven and will now play the Vikings at the DCBL Stadium on the weekend of March 14-16.  Full fixture and ticket information to follow.  Widnes Vikings will stage an inclusive doubleheader at Ormiston Chadwick Academy on Sunday The afternoon begins with the Vikings Wheelchair side facing Colostomy UK Colostomy UK will then contest a Physical Disability Rugby League match against the Wales PDRL Team team Colostomy played Chorley Panthers in a PDRL curtain‑raiser at the DCBL Stadium ahead of the Vikings’ final home game against Toulouse Olympique a day that drew widespread praise for shining a light on rugby league’s inclusive formats said the charity’s players are eager to return to Widnes “It was a real honour to take on Chorley Panthers at the DCBL Stadium last year as part of the Widnes v  Toulouse match day “We loved playing at such a great venue and were really grateful for the exposure that Widnes gave us “Our wheelchair fixture will be our most high‑profile yet It’s sure to be a brilliant day that highlights the inclusivity of our great sport of rugby league.” Exact timings for each game will be confirmed in due course You can find more information on Colostomy UK HERE Ahead of this Saturday’s Challenge Cup clash with Warrington Wolves we’ve compiled a guide to everything you need to know The Vikings will face the Wire in a competitive match for the first time since 2018 with a bumper crowd expected Tickets are available to purchase online HERE or from the Club Shop at the DCBL Stadium which is open until 4pm today and on matchday tickets will be available to purchase from the Club Shop on the day from 9am until kickoff we would ask all fans to buy tickets in advance if possible to allow appropriate stewarding arrangements to be made and to minimise queues on the day there are no Hospitality tickets left for Saturday’s game as all Karalius Suite tickets and executive boxes are sold out Tickets are only able to be reserved in the Gold and Silver seating sections of the South Stand Changing between stands will only be permitted from South Stand to North Stand for any parents of the children playing in our U10’s festival who have already purchased tickets in the South Stand all season ticket holders purchasing an unreserved ticket in the South Stand or North Stand will be able to claim a discount until midnight tonight there is no season ticket holder discount for reserved seats in the Gold and Silver sections of the South Stand Vikings fans have been allocated the full North Stand as well as Blocks E Warrington fans have been allocated the full West Stand as well as Blocks A Due to intelligence provided to the club and council this game has had to be fully segregated and as a result Warrington fans have been allocated blocks A and C which will see them have a separate concourse to the Vikings fans in the South Stand The only way to watch Saturday’s game is live at the DCBL Stadium Turnstiles will open 90 minutes before kickoff at 15:30 merchandise will be available to purchase from the club shop which opens at 9am We will be conducting random bag checks to ensure no prohibited items are brought into the stadium The Bridge Suite will be open for fans to see the post-match presentations and hear the thoughts of Head Coach Allan Coleman Refreshments will also be available from the bar We will be holding an u10’s festival between local sides from Widnes and Warrington as well as the Cheerleaders from Warrington Wolves alongside our very own Viking Venom Allan Coleman has named a 20-man squad for Sunday’s clash with Barrow Raiders at the DCBL Stadium The match is scheduled to kick off at 3pm as the Vikings look to bounce back 3  MATT FLEMING (LENA HOUGH IN MEMORY OF LEN BEESLEY)