WIDNES had victory snatched away from them five minutes from time as Wigan completed a dramatic comeback at the Select Security Stadium.

With an hour of the game played, the Vikings were looking set fair for victory holding a 26-12 lead.

But some inspired attacking play, and a couple of defensive lapses, saw the Warriors take the spoils 28-26.

After a build up to the game that can only be described as bizarre with the fixture being moved from the DW Stadium at the eleventh hour, as ever it was the players to the rescue as they produced the goods on the field.

Wigan enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges but the Vikings scrambled well in defence.

Pressure down at the Wigan end came to nothing and in the end it was the visitors who opened the scoring.

Aided by a couple of penalties to gain field-position, it was scrum-half Thomas Leuluai who muscled his way over from close range with Morgan Escare converting.

Widnes began to chance their arm a bit more in the offload department and it paid dividends when Lloyd White scooped up a loose ball to score. Rhys Hanbury's conversion levelled things up at 6-6.

The Vikings now had their tails up and took the lead when scrum-half Danny Craven showed great pace of the mark to scorch through from 15 metres for a six-pointer.

Widnes went close to increasing their lead through Tom Olbison but were hit by a sucker punch when Escare chiped ahead and found winger Joe Burgess who raced to the posts to make it even again.

With three minutes of the first half remaining, a White grubber-kick rebounded off an upright and the impressive Tom Armstrong showed a cool head to pick up and score. Hanbury's third goal gave the Vikings an 18-12 half-time cushion.

Widnes flew out of the traps after the break and enhanced their lead when White's superb long pass put Stefan Marsh in out wide.

Then a brace of penalty goals from Hanbury gave the home side a 14-point cushion at 26-12.

However, you can never count Wigan out.

Burgess' second try from a George Williams cut-out pass pulled four points back and when opposite winger Lewis Tierney squeezed in on the right it was game on at 26-20 with 14 minutes to go.

Burgess completed his hat-trick as Widnes were once more outflanked on their right edge but Sam Powell's missed goal left the Vikings in the lead at 26-24.

With the clock ticking down, Burgess was put clear up the left and found Oliver Gildart in support who crossed to break the hearts of Vikings supporters.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Armstrong, Runciman, Marsh; Bridge, Craven; Dudson, White, Buchanan, Whitley, Houston, Leuluai. Subs: Heremaia, Cahill, Olbison, Burke.

Wigan: Escare; Tierney, Gelling, Gildart, Burgess; Williams, Leuluai; Nu'uausala, Powell, Flower, Isa, Farrell, O'Loughlin. Subs: J Tomkins, Clubb, Tautai, Shorrocks.

Half-Time: 18-12 Referee: Mr J Child Attendance: 6,561