WIDNES got their First Utility Super League campaign off to a winning start with a 24-16 victory at Wakefield Wildcats.

It was a far from vintage performance by the Vikings but two points on day one must be considered mission accomplished.

Head coach Denis Betts included recent additions Chris Houston and Connor Farrell in his 17 with Aaron Heremaia back in the fold after missing the friendly against St Helens through illness.

Fullback Rhys Hanbury made a break straight from the kick-off and the Vikings went close but Corey Thompson couldn't quite squeeze in at the corner.

Wakefield gained some field-position on the back of a refund from a chargedown and a cheap penalty and hit Widnes with a sucker punch on six minutes when hooker Stuart Howarth tricked his way over from dummy-half to make it 4-0.

It took until 19 minutes for the next score to come and it came Widnes's way as skipper Kevin Brown sent Setaimata Sa crashing in from a short ball. Hanbury's goal gave his side a 6-4 advantage.

The Vikings were perhaps guilty of impatience as a couple of early-in-the-count turnovers let their opponents off the hook but on 33 minutes Lloyd White's superb offload sent Hanbury streaking over for a self-converted try.

Widnes were gifted another score just two minutes later when Wildcats fullback Ben Jones-Bishop dropped a risky pass from winger Tom Johnstone and with nobody at home Sa picked up the pill to stroll in for his second from 20 metres.

Hanbury's third successful conversion gave the Vikings an 18-4 interval lead though they had a stiff breeze against them in the second period.

Jones-Bishop made a hash of fielding Hnabury's high kick-off and from the resulting scrum Thompson had a chance on the right but was bundled into touch.

Another refund of tackles from a blocked kick gave Wakey an opportunity at the other end and winger Reece Lyne scored on the overlap with Liam Finn adding a fine goal.

Widnes hit back when Jones-Bishop's nightmare afternoon continued with another knock-on from a Hanbury kick which set up the position for White to score from close range to make it 24-10.

With 14 minutes remaining, the home side kep the ball alive on last tackle and substitute Michael Sio crashed in under the posts to reduce the lead to eight points.

The Vikings had the chance to kill the game but Charly Runciman couldn't hang on to a Joe Mellor cross-kick with the line open.

But at the end of the day, the travelling Widnes army headed for home in buoyant mood.

Wakefield: Jones-Bishop; Johnstone, B Tupou, Arundel, Lyne; Miller, Finn; Scruton, Howarth, England, Ashurst, Kirmond, Arona. Subs: Sio, Anderson, A Tupou, Molloy.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Bridge, Runciman, Ah Van; Mellor, Brown; O'Carroll, White, Dudson, Sa, Farrell, Cahill. Subs: Dean, Manuokafoa, Houston, Heremaia.

Half-Time: 4-18 Referee: P Bentham Attendance: 5,240