In this N F P match played on 12 Mar 2000 at Auto Quest Stadium , the referee was Karl Kirkpatrick(Warrington), and 3300 people watched. In chilly but dry weather, the half time score was 16- 18, and Widnes received 6 penalties to Oldham's 11.		GAMESTAR Lee Hansen
Widnes Vikings	20
Oldham	31

WHITFIELD UNDER PRESSURE

Colin Whitfield is under pressure following another poor display from the Widnes Vikings. Even the RL press is beginning to speculate on his future, as well as the fans.
This game was littered with a lack of discipline from Widnes as they conceded 11 penalties through lying on, offside and backchat. This is the third match in a row that our penalty count has been in double figures.
Not only that, but the game plan seemed to be largely ignored or largely non-existent, as attack after attack gave us nothing impressive at all. Of the three Widnes tries, two were individual efforts from the usual stars Mansson and Cantillon. Only Steve Gee's effort in the 23rd minute showed an ability to pass the ball along the line. The ex-Lynx forward caught the ball running at pace through a gap in the defence.
The first Oldham tries were unconventional too. A high kick saw measly protection for Munro by Cheetham so that Rich could collect the ball and dive over the line. The second came from a quick tap when the entire Widnes team could do nothing because they were already offside.
There was arguing amongst the ranks when passes went astray, when players collided with each other, when tackles were missed. This wasn't just inept, it was downright unprofessional. When Damian Munro was sent from the field for backchatting, it was probably all he deserved, although the referee was guilty of missing obvious knockons that could have given Widnes crucial territorial advantage.
But it seems a shame to use the ref's inability to excuse this performance. High kicks were attempted, but the chasers weren't quick enough. Only Lee Hansen seemed able to make meaningful progress in possession. And when all the Oldham side are preparing to field the restart kick on one side of the field, why does Munro not kick the ball to the other touchline, thereby earning Widnes head and feed? Do the coaching team not see what the fans see? Or do they choose to stubbornly ignore the obvious?
There are rumblings that a big change is afoot this week, but only time will tell.

WIDNES

1. Damien Munro
2. Andy Cheetham
3. Danny Myler
4. Chris Percival
5. Simon Verbickas
6. Paul Mansson
7. Jason Donohue
8. Lee Hansen
9. Phil Cantillon
10. Steve Argent
11. Steve Gee
12. George Mann
13. David Hulme
14. Afi Leuila
15. Mick Hill
16. Karl Fitzpatrick
17. Andrew O'Neill