WARRINGTON
DECLAN PATTON was the inspiration as Warrington maintained their recent renaissance and heaped yet more misery on their bitter derby rivals.
Homegrown star Patton – currently in the team because of a head injury to former Widnes playmaker Kevin Brown – bossed proceedings to give his side a second consecutive win.
The result took Warrington two points clear of their Cheshire neighbours and left Widnes rockbottom of the Super League table after nine rounds.
The Vikings enjoyed the perfect start inside the second minute when Warrington’s Matty Russell spilled the ball on his own 20-metre line. Denis Betts’ side quickly seized possession and some neat handling led to Stefan Marsh diving over in the left corner.
Yet Warrington systematically took control of proceedings to extend their unbeaten run to three games and further banish their nightmare start to the season which saw them lose six successive matches.
At times during that dismal sequence, Tony Smith’s starstudded side looked destined for a place in the Qualifiers and a fight with relegation.
Now they can start thinking about a top-eight finish and possible push for the play-offs.
A few weeks ago, Warrington might have buckled after Marsh’s early opener. But last night they replied in the eighth minute when winger Tom Lineham bustled over in the left corner after collecting Stefan Ratchford’s long pass.
With Patton increasingly influential at stand-off alongside veteran Kurt Gidley, Warrington scored again in the 14th minute when second-rower Jack Hughes took Gidley’s pass and pirouetted his way over from close range.
Patton added the extras and Wolves centre Ryan Atkins went close to adding a third only to be deemed to have lost the ball by the video referee.
But Warrington soon claimed another score when Joe Philbin powered over from close range and this time the video referee confirmed it was a try.
Smith’s side camped in their hosts’ half and Patton landed a drop-goal shortly before the break to make it 17-4.
The second half was a closefought, scrappy affair and Widnes cut the gap in the 59th minute when centre Charly Runciman touched down a kick from former Warrington stalwart Chris Bridge inside the left channel.
A Patton goal added another two points in the 78th minute.