Tom Lavin scores his debut try but Hoylake lose to Widnes

Dec 3 2008 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

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HOYLAKE welcomed high-flying Widnes to a fog filled Melrose Avenue, confident of causing an upset.

In fact, with their first attack of the game, the visitors went almost full length to score after Hoylake’s defence didn’t stand up to its first real test. The try was well converted to give Widnes a 7-0 lead.

In the space of five minutes, the result of the match was decided. Widnes managed to break through and score a converted try before Hoylake’s danger man, Stephen Young, was taken out in a tackle and had to be replaced because of concussion on the stroke of half time. With their key attacking threat off the field, Hoylake seemed to lose confidence and Widnes scored another try just two minutes after the restart, which was impressively converted from the touchline.

As the light faded, Hoylake started to get some much needed possession. Hoylake were awarded a penalty in front of the Widnes posts which Richard Young converted.

Then, when the ball squirted out of a Hoylake scrum, abrasive scrum half Dom Kearney managed to evade the attentions of his opposite man to break down the blind side.

He gave the ball to Hoylake’s replacement, 19-year-old Tom Lavin. With three men to beat, the young winger chipped over the top and showed great acceleration to beat his opposite man to the ball. He fly hacked on and dived on the ball to register his first try for the first XV.