WIDNES .............. 16 Excellent display FOUR-TRY SHOW PROPELS STONE’S MEN TO VICTORY

Hanbury, Marsh, Inu, Runciman, Chamberlain, Mellor Gilmore, Burke, Heremaia, J. Chapelhow, Dean, Whitley, Houston. Johnstone, Olbison, Wilde, Albert. Mellor (66), Whitley (68), Marsh (77) Gilmore (2 from 3) 0 Huddersfield Giants’ Ryan Hinchcliffe scores his team’s opening try. Opposite page: Jake Mamo gives the ‘thumbs up’ after scoring his try last night Pictures by Dave Howarth

The Giants opted to give youngster Sam Wood his chance to start in the centres in place of the injured Jordan Turner, while Alex Mellor came back from a broken thumb with a place on the bench.

With the rain pouring down the artificial surface looked a little treacherous and it was Widnes who fell foul of the slippy pitch.

On the final tackle, Danny Brough launched a kick towards the posts and full-back Rhys Hanbury failed to pick up cleanly.

That allowed Giants loose forward Ryan Hinchcliffe to put him under pressure and a second slip by Hanbury afforded the former Melbourne Storm star the chance to touch down.

The Giants were four points up inside four minutes and Brough slotted over the kick to make it six.

The visitors could have added to their lead as Brough intercepted a Hanbury pass and raced to halfway where he put Jake Mamo into a gap, but the Australian full-back inexplicably decided to kick ahead and the opportunity went begging.

Mamo did make amends almost immediately as another Brough kick had the Widnes defence in a panic, and the full-back refused to give up on the ball and touched down just inside the dead ball line.

Brough added the goal and the Giants, who were defending very tidily, we’re looking in good shape.

The lead was almost extended on 20 minutes when another good attack by the Giants ended with second rower Dale Ferguson crashing through, but three Vikings defenders managed to stop him grounding the ball over the try line.

The best chance produced by the home side arrived on 24 minutes as prop Greg Burke breached the Giants defensive line only to lose control of the ball over the line.

Widnes began to step up their game, but the Giants defence were confident, particularly when dealing with kicks, while the Vikings still looked nervy every time Brough tested them with high punts into the danger area.

Just after the half hour, Brough nudged the Giants further in front with a penalty after the home side were caught holding on too long in the tackle.