VIKINGS trail Wigan16-6 at half time in tonight's Super League opener.

But the Widnes fans in the packed Select Security Stadium were left fuming after seeing their team condemned to 12 men after Patrick Ah Van was red carded for a high tackle on opposite number Josh Charnley on 23 minutes.

Vikings were already up against it at that stage having conceded early tries from Joel Tomkins and Anthony Gelling had given last year's runners up a 10-0 lead.

Ah Van was given his marching orders for a high shot that pole-axed the England wing.

It looked then that the Warriors would run riot but Joe Burgess dropped a walk-in try, but respite was shortlived and Gelling grabbed his second.

Vikings hung in there, remained resolute and were rewarded when Joe Mellor dashed in at the right hand corner.

Danny Tickle's superb conversion closed the gap to 10 points, but Vikings have a mountain to climb to get anything from this.