VIDEO - Halifax 0 Widnes 14: Spirited Halifax please Marshall as Vikings relieved with victory

Anyone not among the enthralled crowd at The Shay yesterday would look at the scoreline and presume Widnes Vikings, while not having it all their own way, were still comfortable victors against part-timers Halifax.

This could not be further from the truth.

The spirited hosts, ranked lowest in the Qualifiers having arrived fourth in the Championship, came far closer to causing a major shock against the highest-placed team, a Widnes side who finished only one point adrift of Super League’s top eight.

It needed Alex Gerrard’s 79th minute try, and NRL recruit Charly Runciman’s second effort with the final play of an absorbing contest, to give the relieved visitors such a relatively glossy final picture.

Indeed, they had led only 4-0 heading into those final moments and required Kiwi Aaron Heremaia, the former Hull FC hooker making his 150th appearance in the British game, to make a crucial tackle to deny Halifax prop Mitch Cahalane a try at the side of their posts in the 72nd minute.

Halifax were on a nine-game winning run and few would have begrudged them a 10th given the manner of this performance, fearsome second-row Dane Manning, darting full-back Ben Johnston and experienced stand-off Scott Murrell all excelling.

Richard Marshall’s side were tenacious in defence, protecting their line for three consecutive sets in the first half, and producing even bigger hits as the match wore on.

It is not often a game is scoreless at half-time but Widnes – despite being at full-strength and with a wage bill of £1.8m compared to their opponents’ estimated £300,000 – had taken fully 48 minutes to make a single breakthrough.

Even then it was a fortuitous affair as Runciman benefited from a kick that had ricocheted kindly back into Widnes possession.

Halifax – who just lacked the requisite creative spark at half-back – will rue not making the most of the situation when Stefan Marsh was yellow-carded in the 14th minute for a professional foul after Murrell’s clever inside pass had sent Johnston clear and Jacob Fairbank almost scored.

“We maybe should have capitalised when they were down to 12 men,” admitted Marshall.

“But it was a great performance from us and I don’t think it surprised the players at all.

“They’ve played really well this year and are full of confidence.

“They played with some spirit, vigour and passion in abundance.

“The scoreline did go away at the end with those two tries but at four-nil with 10 to go, if Mitch goes over or has someone on his shoulder, then the whole complexion of the game changes.

“The players have just said ‘we didn’t play our best’ but we were happy with a lot of areas.

“If we can get up to something near our best then look out.

“Defensively we were good. We shut down Kevin Brown really well and their key threats. They had a strong bench and their attitude was to see what Halifax are like and then bring on the big guns. But we matched that, too.”

Halifax had also coped with the loss of Tommy Saxton, the former Castleford Tigers winger who impressed before departing at half-time due to a back spasm.

Prop Luke Ambler made his return after three months out with injury to mark his 100th game for the club while winger James Saltonstall got through a mountain of work from the right wing. His side did not help themselves in the first period, though, when they spilled too much ball in their own half, admittedly when trying to create momentum.

Too often a pass or offload was not feasible but it would still be attempted and inevitably Widnes ended up with possession. It says all the more about Halifax’s defence that they were then able to continually deny their experienced opponents who had former England stand-off Brown back from injury to guide them around.

Richard Moore stopped Brown with one remarkable tackle before Willie Isa and Patrick Ah Van had efforts rightly ruled out, the same as Marsh did in the second period.

Betts admitted he was worried as the game wore on.

“We made hard work for ourselves but you have got to give a lot of credit to Halifax,” he said.

“They’ve not won nine games on the trot for nothing. They have some decent ex-Super League players in that team who want to try and push on again.

“Our attack was a little bit sloppy but that could be down to the fact how well they defended.

“There was plenty of anxiety from us but that’s what the system has created for sides that could be relegated from Super League. You can’t avoid it.

“And Halifax, if they can maintain that sort of level for seven weeks, then (promotion)... why not? We weren’t that bad today. They played really well.”

Halifax: Johnston; Saltonstall, Heaton, Tyrer, Saxton; Robinson, Murrell; Tangata, Kaye, Cahalane, Moore, Manning, Fairbank. Substitutes: Ambler, Bracek, Maneely, Barber.

Widnes Vikings: Hanbury; Marsh, Runciman, Ah Van; Brown, Mellor; Gerrard, Heremaia, Dudson, Clarkson, Galea, Isa. Substitutes: White, Cahill, Tickle, Manuokafoa.

Referee: R Hicks (Oldham)