A MUCH improved second-half showing handed Warrington Wolves an opening win in the Middle 8s at arch-rivals Widnes Vikings.

The Wire secured a fourth win this year against the Super League bottom side courtesy of four tries in 25 minutes during a second-half purple patch.

Tom Lineham, Dec Patton, Matty Russell and Peta Hiku took the game beyond Widnes, who had led 12-6 at the break.

Wolves started like a house on fire, taking the lead after three minutes when Jack Hughes charged over from Kevin Brown’s pass and Dec Patton converted.

Widnes managed to soak up what Wolves threw at them and hit back when Jack Buchanan squeezed between Ashton Sims and the goal post, with Lloyd White’s boot levelling matters.

Joe Mellor’s switch of play was a stroke of genius as Widnes took the lead 10 minutes before the break. It allowed White to surge past Daryl Clark and hand on to the supporting Mellor to cross between the sticks.

And with White adding the conversion Vikings led 12-6 at the turnaround.

White landed a long-range penalty goal to stretch Vikings’ advantage but a response was on its way.

Sublime handling from Ryan Atkins allowed him to flick on Stefan Ratchford’s pass for Tom Lineham to fly over in the corner in the 49th minute.

Patton was unable to convert from the touchline but the gap was cut to four points.

Wolves were enjoying all the momentum and on the back of a couple of penalties Patton made Vikings pay.

The nimble half back weaved in and out of three defenders to leave them trailing before touching down beneath the sticks.

He added the extras to put Wire 16-14 ahead after 63 minutes.

After successive try-scoring tackles by Ratchford on Stefan Marsh the Wire full back then broke away down the right to create another score.

He handed over to Peta Hiku who sucked in his marker and full-back Rhys Hanbury before reverse-flicking a pass to Matty Russell to cross.

Patton’s extras put The Wire eight points clear and that was extended to 10 with nine minutes remaining when the half back landed a penalty awarded for holding down.

Wire, with all the momentum, made the points safe when Hiku crossed in the corner with six minutes remaining.