IN this top of the table clash at Heath Road it was the more workmanlike Widnes team who came out on top aided by an uncharacteristic poor tackling performance from the away side, writes Richard McNeil.

It was Widnes who took the lead midway through the first half with flanker Tom McMuldroch breaking through two would be tacklers from some 50m out to score under the posts giving Chris Atkin an easy conversion.

In the period before half time, Wirral hit back with two tries from Keith Mahon and Matt Loon plus a conversion by Dan Harvey to go in at half time 7-12 up.

With the wind in their favour in the second half, Widnes took command of this game in the next 13 minutes to score three tries, two of which were converted to stretch their lead to 26-12.

The game was sealed with a further try in the 63rd minute when the Widnes forwards mauled their way over the whitewash.

Finally, Wirral bounced back with two further tries through Rob Pearl and Chris Speed, one of which was converted to reduce the deficit to 33-24.

The rally however came too late and could make no further inroads into the deficit leaving Widnes as the only unbeaten team in the league.