WARRINGTON WOLVES 28 WIDNES VIKINGS 10

THERE was no lack of effort from the Vikings but they found a Warrington side in determined mood as they went down 28-10 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The massed ranks of Widnes fans would have been more than hopeful of coming away with a positive result with the game balanced 10-10 at half-time.

But a fantastic spell of defending on their own line by the home side, and a breakout score on the back of it, was probably the key period of the game.

Both sides completed their early sets and inevitably it was an error that led to the first score of the game.

Wolves fullback Matty Russell coudn't take a Tom Gilmore bomb under pressure and in the muddle that ensued Gilmore put boot to ball again and regathered a ricochet to dive over and give Widnes a 4-0 lead.

Centre Stefan Marsh left the field injured causing a reshuffle in the Vikings backline.

Both sides were showing real desire in defence and the next try didn't arrive until the 24th minute.

Again it came Widnes's way as superb inter-passing up the middle freed fullback Rhys Hanbury who blasted past his opposite number to score just to the left of the posts for a touchdown he converted himself.

The Vikings had played virtually error-free rugby thus far but a Chris Houston knock-on from a poor Chris Dean pass put them under pressure and Chris Sandow took advantage to force his way over from close range.

Suddenly the Wolves were on attack and livewire scrum-half Chris Sandow forced his way over from close range.

Just two minutes later Warrington were in again courtesy of a spectacular finish by winger Tom Lineham to make it 10-8.

The remainder of the half was nip and tuck until Kurt Gidley landed a penalty to level things up at the break.

Widnes started the second half like a house on fire and laid siege to the home line.

However, Denis Betts' men couldn't quite find the killer pass despite multiple sets on the Wolves line in the face of desperate defence.

Having absorbed all that pressure, the Wolves scored from their first attack of the half as Kurt Gidley crashed in to make it 16-10.

Widnes had their chances to pull a try back but again couldn't convert.

Ryan Atkins had no such problem at the other end as he outjumped Corey Thompson to score a six-pointer.

Inevitably, the Vikings tried to chase the game and errors ensued.

The Wolves put the final nail in the coffin when second rower Ben Currie crashed over six minutes from time with Gidley converting.

Warrington: Russell; Lineham, Evans, Atkins, Penny; Gidley, Sandow; Hill, Clark, Sims, Currie, Hughes, Westerman. Subs: Ratchford, G King, Westwood, Cox.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Marsh, Dean, Ah Van; Mellor, Gilmore; O'Carroll, White, Dudson, Sa, Houston, Leuluai. Subs: Heremaia, Whitley, Gerrard, Manuokafoa.

Half-time: 10-10 Referee: B Thaler Attendance: 15,008