An extract from the Vikings webpage re last weeks game v Wests.
Premier First Grade
By Keiran Deck
The Vikings held on for a 41-27 win over Wests despite a spirited Wests comeback.
Wests arrived at Viking Park without a win to their name and their round three loss to Tuggeranong fresh in their minds.
Vikings also had a point to prove after going down to Queanbeyan in a nail biter at home last week. Club stalwart Michael ‘Chic’ Henry scored a double, including a try late in the game that appeared to break Wests’ grasp on the game.
Wests had the first points in the opening minutes off the back of a Vikings penalty.
The men in red took the lead from Wests minutes later when Henry crossed to the right of the posts off the back of a rolling maul.
Andrew Robinson converted the try and the Vikings led 7-3.
The lead would change for a second time before the 10-minute mark as Wests sent the ball wide, Max Pizzamiglio finding a hole in the Vikings’ backline defence.
Seb Larroway hooked his conversion attempt but Wests had shown themselves to be equally as dangerous in the opposition 22.
The lead changed hands again without another tackle being made. Jake “The Snake” Knight reinforced his nickname in the 10
th minute, bumping off one tackle and sliding past two others to cross under the posts.
At 14-8 the crowd were expecting a high-scoring affair. The running rugby continued right through the first half.
The Vikings have made a habit of running the near length of the field to score in recent weeks. Knight made a break on his defensive 22-metre line, linking with Robinson on half way who beat two defenders to score. The Vikings sprinting to a 19-8 lead. Uncharacteristically, it would be their only long range try for the match.
The game hadn’t reached the quarter-time mark and four tries had been scored. The fifth try of the match came after a frustrating period of play. Both sides gave away back to back penalties and there were three dropped balls. Wests broke the stalemate using quick hands, ending with winger Jone Pio crashing over the chalk.
Wests have had two byes in the first six rounds and their winless record fails to reflect their ability to challenge the best teams. At 19-13, Vikings would have to work to remain on top of the table.
Vikings winger Knight was forced from the field around the 30-minute mark, replaced by veteran Frankie Fainifo.
Fainifo himself went down during a scrappy passage of play at the end of which Ernest Suavai finished another five pointer for the hosts in the left corner.
It would be the final points of the half and the Vikings led 24-13.
The second half started much slower with five minutes of tough football and efficient breakdown defence. Wests again failed to defend their line from the red zone as Isaac Thompson passed to Fainifo flying up the inside who crashed over the line.
The score 31-13 Tuggeranong had a strong lead and Wests were forced to take some risks to get into the game.
Under pressure Wests made several mistakes from set-pieces, giving the Vikings a number of opportunities in attacking territory. The frustration boiled and a yellow card was awarded against the visitors while the Vikings were five metres from the line.
Henry bagged a double from the ensuing lineout but Robinson’s conversion attempt was wide, leaving the score at 36-13. The try appeared to be the one that broke Wests’ back.
Josh Hitchens made up for his disappointing ball handling against the Whites with a clinical display against Wests. The flanker scored the final try of the day for the hosts in the 60
th minute, splintering off the back of another lineout maul.
At 41-13 Wests wouldn’t lie down. They found a way to the line twice more but the comeback was left too late.
Vikings head to Griffith Oval to take on Easts for the first time this season on Saturday. The game will be live streamed as the Club Lime Match of the Round. You can find the link to the stream on the Brumbies website.
