WIDNES saluted their fans in style by thrashing Leigh Centurions 50-6 at the Select Security Stadium in their last game of the campaign.

It was fun in the sun for the Vikings who ran in nine tries in what was Leigh's biggest defeat of the season.

The result means Widnes finished second in the table in The Qualifiers with Leigh propping things up in eighth place.

The visitors started brightly and deservedly took the lead after five minutes when winger Ben Kay's break and inside kick put stand-off Ben Reynolds over for a six-pointer.

It took the Vikings a while to get going and in the process they lost hooker Aaron Heremaia to a head knock.

His replacement, Lloyd White, made inroads from dummy-half and set up the position for Kevin Brown to send Patrick Ah Van over with a typical cut-out pass.

White threatened again after taking a quick tap-penalty but slipped at the vital moment.

However, on 23 minutes Widnes hit the front when Brown dummied and side-stepped his way to the line from ten metres out with Danny Tickle's goal making it 10-6.

Ex-Viking Gareth Hock got himself sin-binned on the half hour for a high shot on Rhys Hanbury and the Vikings quickly took advantage of their extra man as Brown sent Charly Runciman surging over with a short ball.

It looked like 14-6 would be the half-time score but with the hooter imminent Tickle pounced to scoop up a Leigh dropped ball before handing on to Paddy Flynn who held off several defenders to crash in at the corner. Tickle's fine touchline conversion sent Widnes into the dressing rooms 20-6 up.

Prop Alex Gerrard had a try disallowed early in the second half but proved you can't keep a good man down when he powered to the posts from Manese Manuokafoa's lovely short pass.

The Centurions first attack of the second period was 13 minutes in the making and ended in disaster from their perspective. Hock attempted an ill-advised offload but the ball was picked up by Brown for the Vikings who released Hanbury and the pacy fullback turned the Leigh defence inside-out before pinning his ears back to complete a 90-metre breakaway score. Tickle added the extras to make it 32-6.

Scrum-half Joe Mellor got his name on the scoresheet on 66 minutes when he ghosted through from 30 metres for another six-pointer.

Hanbury sent Ah Van in for his second try from a scrum move with substitute Jack Owens this time landing the goal with seven minutes remaining.

Four minutes later Owens brought up the 50-point mark when he streaked over from 40 metres for a self-converted try.

It was a satisfying ending to a long season.

Widnes: Hanbury; Flynn, Dean, Runciman, Ah Van; Brown, Mellor; Gerrard, Heremaia, Manuokafoa, Tickle, Whitley, Cahill. Subs: Owens, White, Dudson, J Chapelhow.

Leigh: McNally; Pownall, Worthington, Armstrong, Kay; Reynolds, Brierley; Spencer, Higham, Wilkes, Hock, Goulden, Beswick. Foster, Moimoi, Dixon, Emmitt.

Half-Time: 20-6.

Referee: C Kendall.

Attendance: 5,550.