Widnes Vikings 12 Wakefield Trinity 34

A PATCHED-UP Widnes side were thoroughly outplayed by Wakefield Trinity as they went down 34-12 in Newcastle.

Perhaps the major difference between the sides was how clinical they were near the opposition line.

Although the Vikings had their fair share of ball near the Wakefield in-goal, they rarely looked likely to find the key to the door.

By contrast, Trinity always looked like they could get around the Widnes defence The big news for Vikings' fans was the first appearance for loan signing Rangi Chase at scrum-half.

Widnes coach Denis Betts also drafted in Warrington loan signings Jack Johnson and Sam Wilde who started on the wing and in the second row respectively.

The early stages were nip and tuck with Wakefield just edging the territory battle.

When the Vikings did get a foothold in opposition territory, disaster struck as Chase's loose pass was intercepted by Ben Jones-Bishop. He was hunted down by Ryan Ince but two plays later ex-Viking Scott Grix dived over from dummy-half.

Liam Finn's goal made it 6-0 and more Trinity pressure saw centre Reece Lyne find a hole to cross the whitewash.

Widnes enjoyed a decent spell of pressure but couldn't find the killer pass and they were hit by a sucker punch when lax defending saw Grix cross for his second try from a scrum play with Finn's touchline goal making it 16-0.

Things took a turn for the even worse three minutes before the break when Vikings substitute Lloyd White was sin-binned for a tip-tackle on Mason Caton-Brown.

The second half started disastrously with a lost ball on the first tackle and Wakefield engineered a six-pointer for winger Ben Jones-Bishop.

There was a brief glimmer of light for the Vikings when Ed Chamberlain sent Ryan Ince away up the right and the young winger finished in grand style to pull six points back.

It proved to be a false dawn as Jones-Bishop scored again after a superb Trinity breakout and Matty Ashurst added another after latching onto Chase's wayward pass.

Hep Cahill's late converted try was of little consolation for the travelling Widnes fans.

Widnes: Hanbury; Ince, Chamberlain, Runciman, Johnson; Johnstone, Chase; Buchanan, Heremaia, Dudson, Houston, Wilde, Cahill.e. Subs: Manuokafoa, O'Carroll, Gerrard, White.

Wakefield: Grix; Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Arundel, Caton-Brown; Miller, Finn; England, Wood, Fifita, Ashurst, Kirmond, Arona. Subs: Tupou, Batchelor, Huby, Hirst. Half-Time: 0-16.

Referee: Mr C Kendall.