IT was unlucky thirteen for Widnes fans who saw their team slump to a baker’s dozen of consecutive league defeats as they went down 36-6 to St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

A hat-trick for Saints right winger Adam Swift was the highlight as the Vikings struggled throughout to cope with the opposition’s shape and movement.

Widnes boss Francis Cummins brought left winger Stefan Marsh back into his starting team with Patrick Ah Van dropping out from the previous week’s game at Hull.

Teenager Owen Buckley retained his place on the opposite flank after a good showing against the Airlie Birds.

For their part, Saints were without superstar fullback Ben Barba with England international Tommy Makinson also sitting out with Swift and Matty Costello coming in.

Saints opened the scoring after six minutes when James Roby scythed through the Widnes defence before finding the supporting Zeb Taia whose try was converted by Danny Richardson.

A basic missed tackle in midfield saw Jonny Lomax set up the position for the home side’s second try with Mark Percival on the end of a right to left passing move to make it 10-0.

Back-to-back penalties bought the Vikings some land and both Aaron Heremaia and Charly Runciman went close but were kept at bay by keen Saints defence.

With 22 minutes on the clock, Saints went in again when Swift stood up opposite number Marsh to cross in the right corner.

A fourth try looked a certainty but Theo Fages was adjudged to have lost the ball as he dived for the tryline and Widnes blew an opportunity at the other end when fullback Rhys Hanbury was bundled into touch on the first tackle after a scrum.

When it did come, two minutes before half-time, try number four was all too easy as Luke Douglas sent Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook through a gaping hole for a six-pointer that made it 20-0 at the break. The Vikings started the second half brightly with a Gil Dudson break and pressure on the Saints line saw Danny Craven crash over from a Joe Mellor flat pass. Krisnan Inu’s simple conversion made it 20-6.

It took Justin Holbrook’s men a while to get going again but normal service was resumed when a dummy and break by Jonny Lomax on last tackle saw him find the supporting Theo Fages who crossed to restore his side’s 20-point lead on 51 minutes.

Swift’s second try saw him finish in style after the Widnes defence was outflanked and it was 30-6 with a quarter of the game remaining.

The last 20 minutes of the game fizzled out but Swift did manage to complete his treble with a walk-in at the corner with Richardson’s goal completing the scoring at 36-6.

St Helens: Lomax; Swift, Costello, Percival, Grace; Fages, Richardson; Amor, Roby, Thompson, Peyroux, Taia, Wilkin. Subs: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Knowles, Lees.

Widnes: Hanbury; Buckley, Inu, Runciman, Marsh; Mellor, Craven; J Chapelhow, Heremaia, Dudson, Wilde, Hauraki, Gerrard. Subs: Whitley, Olbison, Leuluai, D Walker.

Half-time: 20-0 Referee: Mr S Mikalauskas Attendance: 9,923