WIDNES gave it all they had before going down 20-10 to Wigan at the DW Stadium, a defeat which consigns the Vikings to competing in the Middle 8 Qualifiers.

For long spells of the match, the Warriors' unbeaten home record looked in severe danger but late tries from Ryan Hampshire and Anthony Gelling saw them take the spoils.

In the absence of Stefan Marsh, Vikings' coach Denis Betts opted for Willie Isa in the centres to partner Patrick Ah Van on the left.

Danny Craven came in on the bench, essentially to dovetail with Aaron Heremaia at dummy-half.

Widnes couldn't have got off to a worse start as Josh Charnley scored for the Warriors at the end of the first set of six to make it 4-0.

However, any notion that the Vikings were going to be lambs to the slaughter was quickly dispelled.

On seven minutes, Gil Dudson made good ground up the middle on the back of late offloads from Hep Cahill and Rhys Hanbury. On the next play, Heremaia sent Hanbury slicing through to send Tom Gilmore over from 20 metres. Gilmore added the extras to give Widnes a 6-4 lead.

The ferocity of the Vikings defence forced a series of errors from the home side much to the chagrin of the locals.

It took until the 34th minute for the next score to arrive and it again came Widnes's way.

Chris Clarkson found himself in the unlikely position of dummy-half close to the Warriors line but the second rower showed a smart bit of deception to give Gilmore the space to send Chris Dean surging over from a short ball.

The Vikings were good value for their 10-4 lead but were pegged back on the stroke of half-time when Wigan winger Joe Burgess followed up Gelling's short kick and hacked on before regathering to score at the posts. Matty Smith's goal tied things up at 10-10.

Widnes created the first chance of the second half but Paddy Flynn couldn't quite force his way over at the corner.

Craven's left foot kicking out of dummy-half was proving useful and a raking 40/20 gave his side another opportunity but Ah Van couldn't quite escape the clutches of opposite number Charnley.

Consecutive penalties piggy-backed Wigan to the Widnes line and when Burgess snatched a Smith cross-kick out of the air he looked a certain scorer but was somehow miraculously held up by the Vikings tacklers.

Ah Van had another half-chance from a Hanbury pass but was forced into touch on 61 minutes.

The tension was building as Smith's attempted drop-goal sliced wide of the mark.

The dam finally broke in the 70th minute when Gelling and Burgess combined to send fullback Hampshire over for an unconverted try for the Warriors.

Widnes tried their level best to hit back but the home defence held out.

With the hooter imminent, Gelling sealed the victory for Wigan with a close range effort goaled by Smith to make it 20-10.

Wigan: Hampshire; Charnley, Gelling, Bateman, Burgess; Williams, Smith; Crosby, McIlorum, Tautai, Tomkins, Farrell, O'Loughlin. Subs: Flower, Clubb, Mossop, Patrick.

Widnes: Hanbury; Flynn, Dean, Isa, Ah Van; Mellor, Gilmore; O'Carroll, Heremaia, Dudson, Clarkson, Galea, Cahill. Subs: Craven, Leuluai, Gerrard, Manuokafoa.

Half-Time: 10-10

Referee: P Bentham

Attendance: 13,194