Widnes reap reward as Sheridan makes up for lost time

Wigan 18 Widnes

Ryan Sheridan ended a six-week lay-off in memorable fashion on Saturday to help Widnes to a shock win over Wigan at the JJB Stadium. It was the Vikings' first win over Wigan for 13 years and their third major scalp in a month.

Sheridan has started only eight matches in his first season with Widnes because of illness and injury, but he took his frustrations out on Wigan, creating first-half tries for Andy Hay and the hooker, Shane Millard, as Widnes coasted to a 22-0 interval lead.

"It's been very frustrating, but this is a step in the right direction," Sheridan said. "I'm still a bit off the pace but I'm looking forward to next week and hopefully stringing some games together."

Sheridan's half-back partner, Jules O'Neill, also carved out touchdowns for Deon Bird and Dan Potter to give the Vikings a lead they would not relinquish, despite a second-half revival from Wigan.

A try within 90 seconds of the restart from David Hodgson threatened a Wigan fightback, but Widnes held firm and late tries from teenagers Luke Robinson and Kevin Brown were mere consolation efforts for the outplayed Warriors.

Wigan: Hodgson; Carney, Aspinwall, O'Loughlin, Brown; Graham, Lam; O'Connor, Newton, C Smith, Cassidy, Tickle, Farrell. Substitutes used: Robinson, Pongia, Wild, Hock.

Widnes: Atcheson; Potter, Demetriou, Hughes, Devlin; Jules O'Neill, Sheridan; Relf, Millard, Julian O'Neill, Hay, Frame, Bird. Substitutes used: Cantillon, Farrell, Finnigan, McCurrie.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham).