YORK gave Widnes Vikings a mighty scare before running out of steam in the last half hour.
A scoreline of 44-18 does little justice to a stirling Knights effort which saw them lead 18-16 with 52 minutes on the clock.
Widnes got off to a flyer with two long-range tries in the opening seven minutes.
First Dean Gaskell scooped up a lo
ose ball to race the length of the field to score, then Anthony Thackeray backed up a Gavin Dodd break to to make it 10-0.
However, the Knights steeled themselves and dominated the remainder of the half.
Paul Hughes reduced the arrears after constant pressure and the same player was on hand again just before half-time to back up and score. Adam Mitchell's two conversions gave York a 12-10 interval lead.
Widnes regained the advantage with a Ben Kavanagh try but it was short-lived as Danny Ratcliffe followed up a Paul March kick to score.
Sadly, that it was good as it got for the visitors as Widnes ran in five unaswered tries in the latter stages of the match.
Toa Kohe-Love was the main contributor with a hat-trick and Richard Varkulis and Richard Fletcher also touched down.
Widnes: Dodd; Gaskell, Kohe-Love, Penny; Thackeray, Webster; Pickersgill, Smith, Gannon, Fletcher, Morrison, Doran. Substitutes: Hartley, Varkulis, Kavanagh, Ostick.
York: Ratcliffe; Stancliffe, Oakes, Haberecht, Clayton; A Mitchell, P March; Clough, Hughes, Sullivan, Kelly, Knight, D March. Substitutes: Hesketh, Applegarth, Peacock, Woodcock.
Referee: J Child (RFL).
