THE theory was that Hull Kingston Rovers would provide easy pickings for the Vikings with the distraction of Wembley on their minds.

Clearly, Chris Chester's men didn't get the memo as they produced a fully committed performance to win 12-8 at a rain-soaked Select Security Stadium.

Widnes's attacking game was way below par even accounting for the tricky conditions.

The first half was the very definition of a war of attrition.

Both sides struggled from the off with their handling with Rovers marginally less profligate with possession than the Vikings.

The visitors' forwards were also stronger in the collision and as a result they managed to maintain a foothold in the Widnes half for the most part.

Rovers were often kicking on the front foot on last tackle enabling their chasers to put the Vikings under pressure.

The first real scoring chance didn't materialise until the 25th minute but Hull KR fullback Ben Cockayne's long pass to winger Josh Mantellato was correctly ruled forward.

Vikings' incursions into the opposition '20' were few and far between and generally easily repelled.

Rovers eventually opened the scoring four minutes before half-time when Widnes failed to deal with a Matty Marsh bomb and Kris Welham pounced on the bouncing ball to score. Mantellato's simple conversion gave his side a 6-0 lead to take into the break.

The Vikings started the second half purposefully and were awarded a penalty for an obstruction which piggy-backed them to the opposition end. From the resulting pressure a switch play saw Rhys Hanbury create the space for Charly Runciman to crash over in the left corner to pull four points back on 45 minutes.

Widnes were having their best spell of the match and Runciman and Stefan Marsh combined but the latter was stopped just short of the line.

On 53 minutes, against the run of play, Rovers hit the Vikings with a sucker punch when Brown fumbled a grubber kick in his own in-goal area and left the ball for substitute George Lawler to touch down for a six-pointer which gave the visitors a 12-4 lead.

Given the conditions it was always going to be difficult to haul back a two-score deficit and some of the Vikings' attempts at doing so, lacked cohesion.

Despite enjoying the better of the field-position battle, Widnes struggled to create clear-cut scoring chances.

With just a minute to go a break up the left saw Matt Whitley back-up to score to pull Widnes within four points.

The Vikings effectively declined the goal-kick to stop the clock and give themselves one last play.

Brown chipped ahead from the restart but Runciman was stopped in a tackle as he gathered the ball and the hooter sounded.

If Widnes didn't already know they were in a scrap in The Qualifiers, they do now.

Widnes: Hanbury; Flynn, Dean, Runciman, Marsh; Brown, Mellor; Gerrard, White, Dudson, Tickle, Galea, Cahill. Subs: Heremaia, Clarkson, Manuokafoa, Whitley.

Hull KR: Dixon; Cockayne, Salter, Welham, Mantellato; Marsh, Chisholm; Allgood, Boudebza, Tilse, Ollett, Blair, Burke. Subs: Lawler, Green, Greenwood, Donaldson.

Half-Time: 0-6.

Referee: J Cobb. Attendance: 5,461.