As a result of this win, Douglas now move to the top of the table ahead of Sandbach, who lost for a second week in a row at Winnington Park. The ‘red-and-blacks’ meanwhile are in sixth spot just ahead of Burnage.

The loss brings to an end the Wids own mini series of back-to-back wins, and adds further significance to their next game against Northwich at Heath Road on Saturday.

For now, though, the only comfort that the visitors can take from this one, is that they battled hard, defended well and scored two well worked tries against a team who are currently in a rich vein of form and high in confidence after a seventh straight victory and looking the form team of the competition.

The weather for the game was mainly awful with rain pouring down for the full eighty minutes in freezing cold temperatures.

The home side were quickly out of the blocks and soon set up camp inside the Widnes quarter.

After 12 minutes, the pressure finally told, which ended with Douglas being awarded a penalty try, and the Wids having a player sent to the sin-bin.

After that, Douglas then missed with a penalty after 16 minutes, before scrum half Robson did convert a three pointer to make it 10 - nil.

Almost immediately though, Widnes suddenly awoke from their slumbers, and following a clean line out take from Mike Jones, the ball was spun across the threequarters from where Kevin Leadbetter handed on to Ciaron O'Donnell who crossed for a try which was goaled by Liam McGovern.

A second Widnes yellow card was then immediately punished as Liam Kirkpatrick crashed over for a try which was converted by scrum half Robson.

Just before the break, frustrations then boiled over, and when the referee opted to reverse what had been a relieving Widnes penalty, Douglas made them pay with a third converted score to make it 24 - 7 at the break.

Calm heads and better game management were needed if the Wids had aspirations to get back into this contest during the second half.

The visitors were not without chances, but on more than one occasion, the final pass went to ground to blunt any real chance of a comeback.

Bobby Finch was inches away from grabbing an interception try, before things did come right, as the winger combined with Jamie Patient in a move covering 50 metres for the latter to grab a well worked score.

That did get Widnes to within a chance of maybe grabbing a losing bonus point, but they were always chasing the game, and in the end, it was the home side who were to have the final say with a late try which confirmed the result.

Head coach Liam McGovern said afterwards "Today was a tough test in lots of different ways for all the players and staff.

The obvious very early travel of course disrupts everyone’s normal pre match routine, and it is a factor that challenges you on this particular game day.

Douglas probably had 90% of the possession in the first half but couldn’t break us down due to our strong defence.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t play our normal game due to the complete lack of ball and also going down to thirteen men at one point, and also being on the wrong end of a very heavy penalty count, which were obviously key factors.

Overall we scored two very good tries, but sometimes in rugby you just need to take a defeat on the chin and move on.

Despite that, a wonderful night was had by all the travelling party and we are very much looking forward to welcoming Douglas to Heath Road in the New Year for the return fixture”.