WIDNES put in a gallant effort at the Halliwell Jones Stadium before going down 20-18 to Warrington in a stirring Ladbrokes Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Vikings boss Denis Betts really couldn't have asked for any more from his men as they went toe-to-toe with one of Super League's big guns.

Warrington opened the scoring on four minutes when Jack Hughes took advantage of a slip by a Vikings defender to slice through for a six-pointer.

A spell of Vikings pressure on the home line came to an abrupt end when Wolves winger Kevin Penny de-fused a bomb in his own in-goal area.

The game had developed into something of a war of attrition with defences very much to the fore.

It took until the 29th minute for the next score to arrive and it came Widnes's way.

Warrington half-back Chris Sandow fumbled the ball on his own '20' and opposite number Joe Mellor hacked through before scooping up the pill and sliding over. Rhys Hanbury's goal levelled things at 6-6.

Just two minutes later, the Vikings hit the front when substitute Matt Whitley broke through some feeble tackling after retrieving Lloyd White's ricocheted kick.

Again Hanbury goaled but the Widnes lead was reduced four minutes before the break when Kevin Penny latched onto a well weighted George King grubber kick to make it 12-10.

A series of errors and penalties conceded by Widnes allowed the Wolves to dominate territory early in the second half and Kurt Gidley levelled the scores with a penalty goal on 54 minutes.

Widnes couldn't seem to catch a break and livewire substitute Brad Dwyer sneaked over from dummy-half to regain the lead for Warrington with a converted try.

A lesser side may have wilted but nobody could accuse the Vikings of lacking spirit.

Superb interplay between Kevin Brown and Chris Houston saw the former put Charly Runciman in with an overhead pass. Hanbury's fine angled goal brought the scores level again at 18-18 on 65 minutes.

Seven minutes from time, Hep Cahill was adjudged offside after Hanbury had fumbled a high ball under severe pressure and Gidley's goal put the Wolves back ahead.

Widnes tried everything they knew to pull the fat out of the fire in the closing moments but in the end the clock was their enemy.

Warrington: Ratchford; Russell, Evans, Atkins, Penny; Gidley, Sandow; Hill, Clark, Westwood, Currie, Hughes, Westerman. Subs: Dwyer, G King, Bailey, Cox.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Bridge, Runciman, Ah Van; Mellor, Brown; Cahill, White, Buchanan, Houston, Dean, Leuluai. Subs: Heremaia, Dudson, Whitley, Manuokafoa.

Half-Time: 10-12 Referee: Mr J Child Attendance: 7,773