Monday 21 August 2017 13:55, UK
Chris Bridge and Rhys Hanbury strolled in for hat-tricks as Widnes swept aside lacklustre Featherstone Rovers to maintain their fourth-place position in the Super League Qualifiers.
With Leigh stunning Catalans in Perpignan, Hull KR beating London and Warrington easing to victory over Halifax, Denis Betts' side could not afford any slip-ups.
And they made no mistakes with a stylish win over sorry Rovers who conceded 11 tries.
All the damage was done early on with Vikings backs Hanbury, Bridge and Charly Runciman helping themselves to doubles in the most one-sided first half of rugby Widnes have produced all year.
Featherstone were blitzed from the third minute to the last and could not live with relentless Widnes, who chalked up a 34-4 first-period lead and never looked back.
The try procession was opened with Hanbury who chimed in from full-back to get on the end of a quick right-to-left move.
Ten minutes later the Aussie full-back was over again as he mirrored his first effort to cross out wide.
Runciman was next into the action as the Vikings ran the ball on the last tackle to create an overlap which the Aussie made the most of.
It was the same man again who was touching down minutes later as Widnes caught Rovers sleeping in defence.
Featherstone did have a brief reprieve, however, and with the minimal possession they did have in the first half, Misi Taulapapa flew over in the corner as Widnes found themselves short on numbers out wide.
That was the best it got for Jon Duffy's Yorkshire outfit as two quickfire tries from Bridge ended the game as a contest.
Bridge's first was a gift of an interception try but his next effort was a cracker, running a perfect line for Danny Craven to neatly drop the ball off to him from 10 metres out.
Fev's James Lockwood grabbed another try back for the first points of the second half with an opportunist score, which Ian Hardman converted. But normal service resumed as Stef Marsh pounced on a loose ball to sprint in from the halfway line.
Bridge collected his third courtesy of a classy piece of dummy half play from highly-rated youngster Danny Walker. Walker zipped from the ruck and delivered a pinpoint accurate kick that was pounced on by the former Warrington star.
Joe Mellor set Marsh up for another with a clever kick to the corner which he out jumped Scott Turner to plant the ball down.
Hanbury and Mellor put the icing on the cake with simple tries late on.
In the day's other Super League fixture Hull KR survived a London Broncos fightback to boost hopes of making an immediate return to the top flight.
London, who finished second to Rovers in the Championship's regular season, opened the scoring through Andy Ackers before tries from Danny Addy, Kieren Moss, Robbie Mulhern and Ryan Shaw put the hosts 25-8 up at the break.
A second from Shaw sealed victory, before London looked to spoil the home side's party with tries from James Cunningham, Alex Walker, Mark Ioane and Elliot Kear.
The win ensures KR maintain their perfect start to the Qualifiers and takes them level with leaders Warrington Wolves after three matches.
