Lee Greenwood hails a “heroic” Dewsbury Rams following victory over Widnes Vikings

Michael Knowles scored his 100th career try against Widnes Vikings. PIC: Paul Butterfield.

The result gave Dewsbury back-to-back victories and made it two wins from their first three Championship outings in 2020.

Michael Knowles opened the scoring for Dewsbury with his 100th career try after nine minutes as the hosts never relinquished the lead at a muddy Tetley’s Stadium.

“The result is massive for us, it is game that few people expected us to win,” said Greenwood.

Sam Day scores for Dewsbury Rams. PIC: Paul Butterfield.

“We performed well and we defended very well throughout. There were only one or two occasions when Widnes threatened. It was a pretty heroic effort from one to 17, we thoroughly deserved it.”

Paul Sykes added a penalty goal to give Dewsbury an eight-point lead on 17 minutes.

Ellis Robson replied for the Vikings four minutes later as Jack Owens’s conversion reduced the deficit to two points.

The Rams re-extended their lead, however, as Sam Day dived over from close range with Sykes adding his third goal of the game.

Owens opted to kick a penalty goal on the stroke of half time but Dewsbury increased their advantage 10 minutes after the interval when Adam Ryder gathered a pat down from Andy Gabriel and dotted down over the whitewash.

Dewsbury defended admirably in the final quarter to keep Widnes at bay before Sykes rounded off the scoring with a penalty goal on the hooter.

Greenwood added: “We thought we performed well in the first two games and it was just a case of carrying that on and we knew we would be close.

“With the conditions and the pitch as it was, it was not a game to be chasing and we weren’t behind at any point, that was key to it.

“Any team that was behind was going to struggle.

“I think we did well to get in the lead and then defended like machines. It is another tight one that we would have lost last year.

“The character is different and there is a desire there to work for each other.”

Greenwood added: “We have got off to a good start. Crazy as it sounds, we weren’t far off this last year but lost the tight games.

“It is a tough division and there are a lot of games that are within 10 points. There is not much gap between third place and the bottom of the table, it is really tight.”