WIDNES got their Betfred Super League campaign off to a losing start as they went down 28-16 to a committed and efficient Huddersfield Giants side at the Select Security Stadium.

If anything the final scoreline slightly flattered the Vikings with Huddersfield looking the stronger throughout most of the contest.

Half-back Danny Brough was the chief architect for the victors with England winger Jermaine McGillvary also impressing with a brace of tries.

Widnes looked sprightly in the opening exchanges and went close when a Chris Bridge kick was hacked dead by McGillvary.

On five minutes the Vikings took the lead when fine link play between Bridge and Rhys Hanbury sent centre Charly Runciman over with Hanbury converting.

However, once Huddersfield got the bit between their teeth, they took it to Widnes with some gusto.

On the back of three penalties, the Giants began to dominate field-position and they hit back when Leroy Cudjoe broke a tackle to send in McGillvary.

The visitors now began to terrorise Widnes with their high kicking game with Brough inevitably to the fore.

From one such kick the ball broke to the left and fullback Lee Gaskell found himself with an easy walk-in on the overlap to give his side a 10-6 lead on 17 minutes.

McGillvary notched his second try from a cute Cudjoe grubber kick and with ten minutes of the first half remaining second rower Tom Symonds scored a soft try from close range to give Huddersfield a 20-6 lead they kept to the interval.

Widnes created a couple of half chances on the resumption with Hep Cahill and Tom Gilmore going close but once again it was their opponents who proved the more clinical.

Pressure on the home line saw Giants second row Dale Ferguson make a searing break before handing on to left winger Aaron Murphy to score.

The Vikings efforts to get back into the contest betrayed a degree of desperation and it took until the 70th minute for them to register their second try.

A long pass from Aaron Heremaia found Stefan Marsh who did well to step inside the cover to crash in for a score that made it 24-10.

And Widnes pulled a further six points back as the Giants defence froze when a ball hit the deck and Hanbury zoomed in for a self-converted try by the posts.

It gave the home crowd the hint of a comeback but Giants skipper Cudjoe snuffed out any hope when he barged over with two minutes remaining.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Armstrong, Runciman, Marsh; Bridge, Gilmore; Dudson, White, J Chapelhow, Whitley, Houston, Leuluai. Subs: Heremaia, Cahill, Olbison, T Chapelhow.

Huddersfield: Gaskell; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Mellor, Murphy; Brough, Brierley; Ikahihifo, Hinchcliffe, Ta'ai, Symonds, Ferguson, Lawrence. Subs: Wakeman, Leeming, Roberts, Clough.

Half-Time: 6-20 Referee: Mr J Smith Attendance: 5,031