WIDNES’ run of losses continued with a disappointing 19-6 loss at home to Wakefield Trinity.
The game was lost in an error-strew first half which saw them trailing 16-2 at the break.
An improved second half showing was big on effort but short on cutting edge.
The Vikings made one change to the side which lost 38-18 to St Helens at the Magic Weekend as Danny Craven came in at fullback for hamstring victim Rhys Hanbury.
It was nip-and-tuck in the early stages but on nine minutes Widnes took the lead through a simple Stefan Marsh penalty.
Sadly that was as good as it got in the opening forty minutes for the Vikings.
A series of unforced errors in their own end allowed Trinity to dominate field-position.
They took advantage when the giant Pauli Pauli rumbled over from close range and did well to ground the ball with James Batchelor converting.
On 26 minutes a lovely floated pass from Jacob Miller allowed winger Tom Johnstone to finish acrobatically on the left to make it 10-2.
Yet another Widnes error saw more pressure from the opposition and substitute David Fifita hit a short ball to ghost under the posts for a six-pointer which gave Wakefield a 16-2 interval lead.
Trinity had an early chance to extend their lead after the restart but Ben Jones-Bishop couldn’t take a difficult low pass.
Widnes pulled four points back on 45 minutes when Joe Mellor profited from a ricochet and put Patrick Ah Van in by the left hand corner flag.
A Craven 40/20 kick gave the Vikings another opportunity but a long pass to Ah Van was deemed forward.
Chamberlain was denied a try after latching onto a loose Wakefield pass but couldn’t get the ball to ground according to referee Mr Hicks.
Wakefield broke out with a Johnstone run but Ah Van covered back to snuff out the danger.
The game had become frantic but a couple of Widnes errors helped Trinity regain some composure.
With 13 minutes remaining, a needless penalty on last tackle allowed Batchelor to ease his side into an 18-6 lead.
Jones-Bishop looked to be racing clear after catching a bomb but Craven made a superb cover tackle.
Try as they might, the Vikings couldn’t make further inroads into the visitors lead and with two minutes remaining, Jacob Miller ended the argument with a drip-goal.
Widnes: Craven; Marsh, Chamberlain, Runciman, Ah Van; Mellor, Heremaia; J Chapelhow, Johnstone, Burke, Whitley, Wilde, Cahill. Subs: Leuluai, Olbison, W Albert, D Walker.
Wakefield: Jowitt; Jones-Bishop, Tupou, Lyne, Johnstone; Miller, Hampshire; England, Randell, Hirst, Horo, Pauli, Batchelor. Subs: Annakin, Arona, Fifita, Wood.
Half-time: 2-16
Referee: R Hicks
Attendance: 3,681
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