WIDNES were on the wrong end of a reality check as they went down 30-6 to Toronto Wolfpack in Newcastle.

The Vikings travelled to the North East with plenty of optimism after a winning start to the season but found the Championship favourites in irresistible form.

Widnes made just one change from the team that got the better of Toulouse seven days earlier with Jay Chapelhow replacing Owen Farnworth n the bench.

The Wolfpack boasted four ex-Vikings in their side in the shape of Gareth O’Brien, Joe Mellor, Adam Sidlow and Tom Olbison.

Widnes enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and looked sharp.

However, a couple of opportunities were spurned with the final pass not going to hand.

The big Toronto forwards began to enjoy some supremacy in the middle of the park and the Canadian side took the lead on 13 minutes when a high kick from Jon Wilkin was spilled by Vikings winger Ryan Ince and half-back Blake Wallace was on hand to scoop up the ball to register a six-pointer.

Widnes were now struggling to make yards up the middle of the field and a Toronto break up their left by centre Ricky Leutele was only halted by a high tackle from Anthony Gelling. From the resulting penalty, O’Brien pushed his side lead out to 8-0 and the Vikings did well not to concede further as the half wore on.

The Vikings lost winger Olly Ashall-Bott to an ankle injury and half-time may have come as a relief to Kieron Purtill’s men.

Unfortunately for the travelling Widnes fans, business as usual was quickly resumed after the break.

Once more Toronto rolled relentlessly forward and errors began to creep into Widnes’s play.

On 50 minutes a break up the middle saw Jon Wilkin send in Wolfpack substitute And Ackers in at the corner to add six further points to his side’s tally.

Five minutes later swift ball movement to the left created the space for ex-St Helens man Gary Wheeler to crash in to make it 18-0.

The relentless forward momentum of the home team continued and inevitably they went over again with Leutele providing the finishing touch and O’Brien’s superb goal putting his side out of sight at 24-0.

The Vikings never gave up the ghost but it was Toronto who had the bit between their teeth and Ackers breezed all too easily over from 20 metres for his second converted try.

Widnes finally got a consolation try when Jordan Johnstone’s short kick ricocheted into the hands of Brad Walker who plonked the ball down behind the posts with Jack Owens converting.

Toronto: O’Brien; Higson, Wheeler, Leutele, Russell; Mellor, Wallace; Sims, McCrone, Springer, Dixon, Thompson, Wilkin. Subs: Ackers, Lussick, Sidlow, Olbison.

Widnes: Owens; Ince, Gelling, Brand, Ashall-Bott; Craven, Lyons; Tangata, Hood, Hansen, Wilde, Dean, Leuluai. Subs: T Chapelhow, Johnstone, J Chapelhow, Walker.

Half-Time: 8-0 Referee: Mr L Moore