A POWERFUL second half showing from Huddersfield Giants saw Widnes go down 24-12 at the John Smith's Stadium.

There was every reason for optimism at half-time with the scores locked at 6-6 and with the elements in the Vikings' favour.

But a brace of tries from centre Joe Wardle put the skids under Denis Betts' men after the break.

Betts selected the same 17 that put Wakefield to the sword five days earlier and Widnes started the game with a purpose, pinning the Giants back in their own half.

The Vikings reward came on nine minutes courtesy of Joe Mellor. The scrum-half received a pass from half-back partner Kevin Brown under severe pressure but wriggled away from a couple of Huddersfield tacklers before showing fullback Scott Grix a clean pair of heels on a 40 metre dash to the line.

The try seemed to finally bring the home side to life and with the offloads beginning to stick, alarm bells began ringing in the Widnes defence.

Aaron Murphy had a try disallowed but the Giants managed to get back on level terms on 27 minutes when Grix latched onto a ricocheted Danny Brough kick to surge under the posts. Brough's conversion levelled the scores at 6-6.

The remainder of the first half saw both sides playing safety first rugby but Widnes were probably the happier side going into the dressing rooms at the break.

However, it was Huddersfield who started the second period forcefully.

Quick passing to the right hand side engineered the space for Jermaine McGillvary to squeeze over at the right corner to put the Giants in the lead for the first time, though Widnes players clearly felt there was a knock on in the build up.

On the hour mark, just when it looked like the Vikings were starting to establish a foothold in Giants territory, they were hit by a sucker punch when Brough broke clear and put Wardle over to make it 14-6.

Huddersfield made a mess of Rhys Hanbury's restart kick to concede a goal-line drop-out which allowed Widnes to hit back immediately. A sharp, flat pass from dummy-half Lloyd White sent prop forward Manase Manuokafoa crashing over by the posts from close range for a six-pointer which put Denis Betts' men back within two points.

The next score was likely to be crucial and it came Huddersfield's way on 68 minutes. Slick play up the short side saw Brett Ferres put Wardle over for his second try to make it 18-12.

The Vikings attacks became ever more desperate and the error rate increased allowing the home side to surge upfield again.

With seven minutes remaining, prop Eorl Crabtree rumbled over for the Giants to finish things off.

Widnes: Hanbury; Flynn, Dean, Phelps, Ah Van; Brown, Mellor; O'Carroll, White, Dudson, Clarkson, Tickle, Cahill. Subs: Heremaia, Manuokafoa, Galea, Kavanagh.

Huddersfield: Grix; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy; Brough, Ellis; Huby, Lunt, Crabtree, Ferres, Hughes, Ta'ai. Subs: Mullally, Lawrence, Wood, Kopczak.

Referee: B Thaler.

Attendance: 5452.