NO matter whatever else happens this year, just beat Widnes!

That cry was heard many, many times as anticipation for the 250th ‘derby’ reached fever pitch, spiced up further by top spot being up for grabs in front of a sell-out stadium record crowd on Good Friday.

Widnes, missing their key playmaker and skipper Kevin Brown among others, took a 10-0 lead halfway through the first half and there were jitters that Wolves’ unbeaten start to 2016 was going up in Chemical-filled smoke.

But there was no need to panic – and none was shown on the field.

Like on so many occasions already this year, when a piece of magic was needed Chris ‘Wow’ Sandow had the answer.

Chris Houston’s spill provided the platform to attack and Sandow’s angled route to the try line sparked an unanswered 28-point response that sent the 13,000 or so Wire fans into ecstasy mode.

Sandow’s steady-hand half-back partner Kurt Gidley was just as influential, working behind a pack that worked hard to eventually take a grip – with Chris Hill, Joe Westerman and Ashton Sims leading the way up front and then Ben Westwood and Jordan Cox in particular lifting the energy levels in their spells off the bench.

After Wolves incredibly soaked up five sets on their own line early in the second half it was Gidley who bagged the all-important first try of the second half – a similar first-receiver charge to the one from Sandow – and his impact in attack came despite the work needed in defence as he and Jack Hughes were targeted by Widnes and ended up the team’s top tacklers.

While the attacking flamboyance of the previous week’s opening 40 minutes against Castleford was never in evidence, Vikings offered far stiffer resistance.

But with Widnes using up four substitutions in the opening quarter and the dangerous Matty Russell finding more space to open up in the second half, Wolves felt confident they would finish the game strongest, and the tries from Ryan Atkins and Ben Currie in the last 12 minutes perhaps provided a final scoreline that made the win look easier than it was.

The Wire fans were just happy to be going home smiling.

INTERESTING NOTES:

Seventh straight win at start of 2016

Wolves take over top spot from Vikings

Ground record and home Super League record attendance

Currie touches down for the sixth successive match

Atkins’ try brings up his 500 points for the club

MATCH FACTS:

Super League Round Seven, Friday, March 25, 2016

Warrington Wolves 28 Widnes Vikings 10

Wolves: Matty Russell; Tom Lineham, Rhys Evans, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny; Kurt Gidley, Chris Sandow; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Jack Hughes, Ben Currie, Joe Westerman. Subs: Stefan Ratchford, George King, Ben Westwood, Jordan Cox.

Vikings: Rhys Hanbury; Corey Thompson, Chris Dean, Stef Marsh, Patrick Ah Van; Joe Mellor, Tom Gilmore; Eamon O’Carroll, Lloyd White, Gil Dudson, Setaimata Sa, Chris Houston, Macgraff Leuluai. Subs: Manase Manuokafoa, Alex Gerrard, Aaron Heremaia, Matt Whitley.

Scoring: Gilmore try, 5mins, 0-4; Hanbury try, 23mins, Hanbury goal, 0-10; Sandow try, 26mins, 4-10; Lineham try, 28mins, 8-10; Gidley penalty goal, 40mins, 10-10; Gidley try, 51mins, Gidley goal, 16-10; Atkins try, 68mins, Gidley goal, 22-10; Currie try, 74mins, Gidley goal, 28-10.

Penalties: Wolves 2 Vikings 3

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 15,008

Top Man: Matty Russell