A HAT-TRICK from Stefan Marsh was the highlight as Widnes got the better of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 30-18 at Belle Vue.

In truth, the gulf between the two sides was much greater than the scoreline suggests, but the Vikings will no doubt settle for the two league points.

Widnes started the game knowing a win would see them leapfrog to eighth place in the First Utility Super League table.

On the downside, they were hit by the late withdrawal of skipper and playmaker Kevin Brown with a virus. In his absence, coach Denis Betts chose to select Aaron Heremaia in the halves to partner Joe Mellor who took the captain's armband.

Wakefield were in the midst of an eleven game losing run in Super League and started like a team massively low on confidence.

The home side's cause wasn't helped when skipper Danny Kirmond was helped off injured in the first minute of the game.

A fine run by winger Jack Owens took the ball deep into Wildcats and set up the position for Rhys Hanbury to cross courtesy of a Cameron Phelps offload.

A Heremaia 40/20 kept the pressure on but Gil Dudson lost the ball as he went for the line near the posts and Owens did the same out on the flank.

A third clear opportunity was spurned when Mellor failed to keep his feet out of touch-in-goal when scoring looked the easier option.

However, Widnes's second try eventually came on 18 minutes when weak tackling allowed centre Marsh to force his way over from close range.

Marsh repeated the dose three minutes later with Hanbury providing the scoring pass. Owens had clearly forgotten his kicking boots and failed to convert on each occasion.

The one-way traffic continued and a long Mellor pass saw Owens squeeze over on 25 minutes. Lloyd White took over the goalkicking duties and landed a fine angled shot to make it 18-0.

Wildcats attacks had been few and far between but against the run of play they scored just before the break with right winger Tom Johnstone showing the Vikings a clean pair of heels. Jacob Miller's goal made it 18-6 at the interval, a score which certainly didn't flatter Denis Betts' men.

A couple of sloppy errors by Widnes at the start of the second half encouraged Wakefield but it was the Vikings who got the scoreboard ticking again when White scooted over from dummy-half after Ah Van had been stopped short. White's goal pushed the score to 24-6.

Home second row second second row Matt Ryan found himself in the sin-bin after preventing Phelps from taking a quick 20-metre restart and Widnes took advantage to send Marsh in for a six-pointer which gave him his hat-trick on 59 minutes.

Ryan returned after his enforced rest and pulled six points back for the Wildcats with a try under the posts which made it 30-12.

And with nine minutes to go Wakefield were in again as centre Dean Collis bludgeoned his way over after Paul McShane had stolen the ball from Owens.

Just two converted scores ahead, it could have been a nervous finish for the Vikings but the Wildcats never had the energy to cause further problems. Widnes: Hanbury; Owens, Marsh, Phelps, Ah Van; Heremaia, Mellor; Gerrard, White, Dudson, Clarkson, Galea, Isa. Subs: Joseph. Subs: Heremaia, Leuluai, Manuokafoa, Whitley Wakefield: Owen; Johnstone, Collis, Lyne, Riley; Miller, T Smith; Scruton, McShane, Molloy, Ryan, Kirmond, Washbrook. Subs: Crowther, Godinet, Annakin, Anderson.

Referee: R Silverwood Half-time: 18-6 Attendance: 3,132