Widnes Vikings 58 Salford City Reds 24

VIKINGS’ superb home form continued in a 10-try demolition job on struggling Salford.

Man-of-the-match Rhys Hanbury and Cameron Phelps both crossed for hat-tricks but Widnes’ fourth win of the campaign may have come at a cost.

England back rower Gareth Hock limped out of the action with a hamstring injury in the first half, while loose forward Hep Cahill had to be helped off the field with an ankle problem late on.

Another back rower Dave Allen was also a casualty, leaving the stadium limping with his right knee heavily strapped.

It seems just as some bodies are back on board for Denis Betts, the services of others are lost.

Vikings, who have lost only once on their iPitch this season, welcomed back five players from the heavy loss at Huddersfield Giants on Easter Monday, with Kevin Brown among them for only his second appearance of the campaign.

Showing no signs of the ankle injury that has stifled his time on the field since signing from Huddersfield, he was heavily involved as Vikings extended their 28-12 lead at half time to 40-18 after 52 minutes before being substituted but returned to register his first try for the club at the game’s death.

Vikings went into the clash without the services of Patrick Ah Van or Willie Isa but it did not show as Jack Owens helped to create several tries on a devastating Widnes left flank to add to his nine successful conversion attempts.

All but one of Vikings’ 10 tries were notched on the left, including the opener after two minutes.

Brown’s first touch of the ball was a perfectly placed grubber kick for Hanbury to pounce.

Vikings had a let off when Adam Neal knocked on in the act of scoring a reply and they made them pay when lovely handling across the left sent Owens clear.

He found Jon Clarke on his inside to finish off for 10-0 after 12 minutes.

While Salford were reorganising from limping centre Lee Gaskell’s substitution, ruthless Vikings raided again down the left with Hanbury’s wonderful reverse offload sending Owens away and this time Phelps was on hand for the scoring pass. Owens’ conversion pushed the score on to 16-0 after 19 minutes.

Theo Fages opened Salford’s account five minutes later, touching down his own kick after Hanbury had been beaten by a bad bounce. Marc Sneyd banged over the extras.

As the penalty count mounted to 5-0 in Salford’s favour, the visitors cashed in when Lee Jewitt barged over for a scruffy try from Wayne Godwin’s pass and Sneyd’s conversion cut the gap to four points after 32 minutes.

It was as close as Salford got, although Vikings did look like they needed to wake up after their bright start.

With Vikings’ first penalty in the 37th minute came the home team’s crucial fourth try and it was Brown who did the damage.

His inside pass put Ben Kavanagh away and Alex Gerrard continued the break that was finished off by Hanbury.

Owens’ extras made it 22-12 but Vikings had more to come before the half-time hooter.

Again they struck with sweet left-sided handling, with Owens’ stuttering run bringing Hanbury into play and the former Crusaders half back fed Phelps close to the sticks and the goal restored Vikings’ 16-point advantage for the turnaround.

Vikings needed the first try of the second half to prevent inviting Salford back into the game and they got it.

Brown combined with Joe Mellor, who picked out Hanbury’s run from deep and got close to him for the return pass to touch down the decisive try, with Owens’ extras extending Vikings’ lead to 34-12 after 43 minutes.

Hanbury completed his hat-trick when he hared through a gap from Brown’s pass as the 40 points barrier was broken.

Vikings attempted to turn the screw after a 40/20 kick from Clarke but Salford showed some fighting spirit and gained some respite when Jodie Broughton intercepted Clarke’s short-side floated pass and raced 90 metres to touch down.

But usual business was soon resumed.

Hanbury ran across his own 20-metre line before slipping a tackle and galloping away to put Phelps over for his hat-trick try after 60 minutes.

Jordan James got over for Salford’s final try after Fages cut free in the 66th minute.

Frank Winterstein crashed on to a short ball from Mellor soon after as the 50-points milestone was passed.

All that was left was for Brown to crown the demolition derby after Phelps had been put clear by Hanbury and supplied the supporting stand off to cross in the left corner, with Owens’ superb display of goalkicking capped by the touchline effort going in off the post.

Vikings: Rhys Hanbury; Paddy Flynn, Chris Dean, Cameron Phelps, Jack Owens; Kevin Brown, Joe Mellor; Eamonn O’Carroll, Jon Clarke, Steve Pickersgill, Dave Allen, Gareth Hock, Hep Cahill. Subs: Grant Gore, Ben Kavanagh, Alex Gerrard, Frank Winterstein.

City Reds: Marc Sneyd; Jack Murphy, Lee Gaskell, Edwin Okanga-Ajwang, Jodie Broughton; Theo Fages, Liam Foran; Darrell Griffin, Wayne Godwin, Adam Neal, Matty Ashurst, Andrew Dixon, Stephen Wild. Subs: Gareth Owen, Jordan James, Lee Jewitt, Adam Walne.