WIDNES produced a heroic defensive effort to down Wigan 8-6 at the DW Stadium.

Despite two sin-binnings and a massive penalty count against them, the Vikings somehow survived a late Warriors onslaught to take the spoils in dramatic fashion.

The general consensus before the game was that Widnes had ‘nothing to play for’. Obviously, nobody bothered to tell the Vikings’ players.

Widnes enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and went close when left winger Stefan Marsh just failed to reach Kevin Brown’s kick to the in-goal.

But the travelling fans didn’t have to wait long for the first try to come.

On ten minutes a Rhys Hanbury break set up the position and Brown’s cross-kick found Corey Thompson in space to touch down at the right corner.

The Warriors had their first real scoring opportunity on 13 minutes but excellent cover defence saw winger Lewis Tierney bundled into touch.

Both sides fluffed chances on the back of handling errors but the Vikings struck again on 28 minutes.

A fine ground gaining run by young substitute prop Jay Chapelhow created the opportunity for Joe Mellor’s long cut-out pass to put Thompson over for his second score to make it 8-0.

The Vikings kept the Warriors at bay for the remainder of the half to take their eight point lead into the dressing rooms.

Wigan sprang into life ten minutes into the second half when Liam Farrell crossed after the Vikings had been harshly penalised for holding down in the tackle. Jake Shorrocks converted to make it 8-6.

The home side now had the bit between their teeth and were given a further boost when Widnes prop Jack Buchanan was sin-binned under the totting-up principle, followed eight minutes later by Connor Farrell for the same.

With the Vikings down to eleven men, Wigan looked certain to score but a double tackle by Hanbury and Marsh somehow dislodged the ball from Ryan Sutton as he went for the line.

The Warriors continued to lay siege to the Widnes line, helped out by some errors from Denis Betts’ men but the tackling was heroic.

As the clock ticked down, John Bateman broke clear for Wigan but was hauled down by Hanbury and lost the ball.

The tension was unbelievable – and Wigan looked certain scorers again but Anthony Gelling’s pass drifted into touch.

Finally, Widnes got the ball back and managed to run down the the last minute.

Wigan: S Tomkins; Charnley, Gelling, Sarginson, Tierney; Williams, Shorrocks; Sutton, Powell, Flower, L Farrell, Bateman, Isa. Subs: Tautai, Gildart, Nu’uausala, Bretherton.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Dean, Runciman, Marsh; Mellor, Brown; Burke, White, Buchanan, Whitley, Houston, Cahill. Subs: J Chapelhow, Dudson, Heremaia, Farrell.

Half-Time: 0-8 Referee: Mr P Bentham