Diskin leads the way for dominant Rhinos
Widnes Vikings 0 Leeds Rhinos 46
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Your support makes all the difference.Leeds moved back to the top of Super League with their first win in three attempts at the Halton Stadium, scoring nine tries in a clinical attacking display and displaying rock-solid defence to leave Widnes pointless and bottom of the table.
"We're happy about the 'nil'- it is an achievement," said the Leeds coach, Tony Smith. "But I like attacking and some of the tries we scored in the conditions were terrific. We had a job to do today and we did it well. The boys were very committed and showed a lot of ability."
Widnes had beaten Leeds three times in their last four attempts in the league but there was never any likelihood of a repeat show once the impressive hooker, Matt Diskin, charged over from 30 metres for a fourth-minute try. Marcus Bai squeezed in at the corner for a second and then, after Aaron Moule was sin-binned for holding down Diskin, Danny McGuire ghosted over from a quickly-taken penalty by the Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield. Francis Cummins reacted first to David Furner's kick to the corner to ensure an 18-0 interval lead.
Chris Giles had twice gone close to posting a Widnes response, but the young winger then made a hash of collecting Andrew Dunemann's high kick and Sinfield had only to fall over the line for the try.
The weather caused Leeds more problems than a woeful Widnes in the second half as the rain lashed down, but Rob Burrow, Chris Feather, Barrie McDermott and Bai, with his second, completed the Widnes misery. "The die was cast once Leeds got that early lead," said Neil Kelly, the Widnes coach. "But I still believe that in our changing room we have a very good Super League side."
Widnes: Rowlands; Robinson, Hughes, Moule, Giles; O'Neill, Myler; Relf, Millard, Mills, Finnigan, Frame, Bird. Substitutes used: Hay, Hobson, McCurrie, Wozniak.
Leeds: Mathers; Cummins, Walker, Senior, Bai; McGuire, Dunemann; Bailey, Diskin, Feather, Furner, Jones-Buchanan, Sinfield. Substitutes used: Burrow, McDermott, Ward, Poching.
Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).
* London Broncos slipped to a fourth defeat in five Super League games when they lost 36-24 at home to the Warrington Wolves. The visitors ran in six tries in all and were behind their opponents for only a brief two-minute spell during the whole match.
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