Furner punishes Widnes as Lam shines brightest

Wigan 38 Widnes 8

David Furner, the player Wigan say they cannot afford to keep showed that they can ill afford to lose him. Furner's two tries in the first half highlighted an outstanding individual contribution on a night when Widnes failed to do themselves justice on their first visit to the JJB Stadium.

"I've been telling people all week that knowing David's personality as I do, I knew we would get 100 per cent from him in every game," said the Wigan coach, Stuart Raper, of the player who has been told he is not being offered a contract for next season.

Wigan are still negotiating with Adrian Lam, who ultimately outshone Furner on the night, but Raper made it clear how much he values his services by tipping him as a likely Man Of Steel and the season's best player.

The home side had several first-teamers back as they stepped up their quest for second place in Super League last night. Still no Andy Farrell or Kris Radlinski, but their line-up was distinctly more battle-hardened than the one that performed so admirably at Castleford last weekend.

Widnes, for all their heroics in their first season in Super League, do not have the biggest of squads. Hence the appearance of the former Wigan fullback, Paul Aitchison in the second row of a pack depleted by injuries.

Widnes still managed to have marginally the better of the scrappy opening stages, but it was Wigan who took the lead after 14 minutes. A precise kick from Adrian Lam began Widnes' problems and from the resulting pressure their defence was stretched both ways before Furner took Martin Aspinwall's pass to go over for his first try.

Six minutes later, the soon to be redundant second rower was hunting with equal success in the equivalent position on the other side of the field.

Again Widnes were stretched by expansive play and when Shaun O'Loughlin slipped the ball to Furner they were again found short-handed.

Wigan should have been further ahead and Furner could have had a hat trick when his fellow Australian Jamie Ainscough, made a break through midfield but failed to release the ball to the men in support.

Wigan had to be content with reflecting their increasing dominance through a third goal from Julian O'Neil from a penalty awarded when Ryan MacDonald went high on Terry O'Connor.

One man Wigan are determined to keep, salary cap or no salary cap, is Lam and, after Adam Hughes had lost the ball, his superb break set up their third try for David Hodgson 11 minutes into the second half.

Lam was producing a master class by this stage and his jinking run opened up the Wigan defence once more, this time for a try of his own.

Before Lam came off to a standing ovation, he supplied the kick that sat up obligingly for Ainscough to send Hodgson over for his second. Stephen Wild was next, before Widnes claimed a token effort from Atcheson. They even had the last word through Phil Cantillon's but this was Wigan's night and one for Furner and Lam to demonstrate their value to the club.

Wigan: Connolly; Dallas, Aspinwall, Hodgson, Ainscough; O'Neill, Lam; O'Connor, M Smith, C Smith, Furner, Cassidy, O'Loughlin. Substitutes used: Bibey, Tickle, Howard, Wild.

Widnes: Spruce; Demetriou, Potter, Hughes, Long; Weston, Eaton; Relf, Cantillon, Stone, Atcheson, McCurrie, Frame. Substitutes used: Mills, MacDonald, Munro, Richardson.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).