Two tries in the final 10 minutes turned a 22-18 deficit into a victory that will have a gone a long way towards erasing the memories of last season's horror show on the same ground.

Fax had led for much of the night, before tries from Thomas Coyle and Liam Farrell put Widnes ahead at 22-18 going into the final quarter.

But a 71st-minute touchdown from full back Shad Royston, the product of some neat play from teenager Anthony Bowman, was converted by stand off Luke Branighan to put the visitors ahead once more at 24-22.

And when Branighan's short kick was pounced on by hooker Sean Penkywicz with three minutes remaining, Branighan again converting, Fax had the game in the bag.

On a rollercoaster night, there was still time for former Fax centre Richard Varkulis to touchdown, Shane Grady converting from the sideline, but Fax survived Widnes' last-minute long range panic attack to seal a super win.

Fax made the worst possible start, conceding a penalty on Widnes' second set of possession for a high tackle on the full back Scott Yates, loose forward Dave Allen driving the home side towards the line and Coyle, the former Shay loanee, taking advantage of some slack marker play to score by the posts.

Grady added the conversion for a 6-0 lead, and although Fax had a chance to respond almost immediately when Matt Gardner dropped Branighan's crossfield bomb, the field position went begging when Royston's pass was intercepted by Grady.

Instead, the visitors soon found themselves in all kind of trouble at the other end, with Coyle causing problems from dummy half as Fax successfully defended three sets of Widnes possession.
Fax were on the back foot again when Ben Black spilled the ball on half way but Liam Farrell put down Anthony Thackeray's pass with the try line open.

Fax gratefully accepted their reprieve though, Jon Goddard almost scoring on the left from Black's short pass before the ball was whipped across to the right, where Rob Worrincy made the best of an indifferent pass from Lee Paterson to score.

Paterson knocked the conversion in off the post to level the scores and Fax grew visibly in confidence, helped by some impressive skills from replacement hooker Mark Gleeson.

Their second score arrived just before the half hour and owed everything to an ordinary pass that bobbled behind Vikings half back James Webster as the home side were on the attack 10 metres out.

The ball sat up perfectly for Paul White, who held off Paddy Flynn and Scott Yates in a 90 metre footrace down the left flank.

Paterson could not convert from touch, but Fax did extend their lead soon after, Paterson running a great line on to Branighan's pass to score under the posts, the visitors' stand in centre converting for a 16-6 lead.

Both sides had scores chalked off by the video referee as the clock ticked down to the break, Wrench touching down Branighan's kick but being pulled back for offside and Flynn almost forcing the ball down in the corner.

Widnes did manage to get a second try before the interval though, Flynn flying into White as he attempted to defuse James Webster's cross kick and Lee Doran mopping up the four points.

Grady's conversion hit the crossbar but, unlike Paterson's earlier effort, bounced out to leave the match finely poised.

The visitors went within a whisker of stretching their lead a couple of minutes after the break, Frank Watene being hauled back after Black's pass was called forward.

The scoreboard ticked round to 18-10 soon enough though, Paterson kicking an easy penalty a couple of minutes later.

Said Tamghart was held inches short soon after, and White made another sprint down the sideline as the visitors dominated.

They even spurned another easy penalty, a decision that backfired when Goddard lost possession on the first tackle.

The Vikings were promptly ferried downfield on the back of two penalties and Coyle romped over from Thackeray's inside ball, Grady closing the gap to 18-16.

Fax looked to have stretched their advantage when White dived low for the corner, only for the 54th-minute score, the product of some fine play by Royston, Gleeson and Black, to be chalked off by the video referee, apparently for obstruction.

It took some desperate defence to drag Gardner into touch as the hour loomed, but Fax didn't take heed of the warning, Thackeray and Doran sending the dual-registered Wigan backrower Farrell over under the posts for Grady to put Widnes back in front at 22-18.

Widnes looked set to establish the crucial six-point gap with 11 minutes remaining, David Wrench holding down Doran just a fraction too long, but Grady's easy kick hit the upright.

And how Fax made them pay.

MATCH FACTS
Widnes: Scott Yates; Paddy Flynn, Richard Varkulis, Shane Grady, Matt Gardner; Anthony Thackeray, James Webster; Gareth Haggerty, Thomas Coyle, Jim Gannon, Liam Farrell, Lee Doran, Dave Allen. Subs: Ben Kavanagh, Matt Strong, Ben Davies, Dave Houghton
Tries: Coyle 2, Doran, Farrell, Varkulis
Goals: Grady 4

Halifax: Shad Royston; Paul White, Lee Paterson, Jon Goddard, Rob Worrincy; Luke Branighan, Ben Black; Makali Aizue, Sean Penkywicz, Dominic Maloney, David Larder, David Wrench, Stanley Gene. Subs: Mark Gleeson, Anthony Bowman, Said Tamghart, Frank Watene
Tries: Worrincy, White, Paterson, Royston, Penkywicz
Goals: Paterson 3, Branighan 2

Referee: Robert Hicks (Oldham)
Attendance: 3,285

STARMAN
There are no two ways about it, Halifax were struggling when Mark Gleeson came off the bench last night.

But the former Warrington hooker, playing against the coach - Paul Cullen - who mentored him at Wilderspool and the Halliwell Jones Stadium, provided the vision and control to get Fax back into the contest.

Gleeson didn't score himself, he didn't even provide an assist, but there is no doubt he was the catalyst for the visitors' improvement and takes three points in the season-long Star Man competition into the bargain.

Stand off Luke Branighan takes the two after demonstrating the ability to create play for his teammates that prompted Matt Calland to sign the former Gateshead player.

Branighan had a hand or a foot in four or Fax's five tries and kicked the conversions that finally gave them some breathing space in a frantic last few minutes.

The Australian takes the two points, with the final one going to another playmaker Sean Penkywicz.

Fax's midfield dynamo blew hot and cold all evening, but he got it right when it mattered in the crucial closing stages.

Penkywicz scored a try, made a surging break and came up with a perfect kick that trapped Widnes full back Scott Yates in his own in goal area.

PLAYER POINTS
Shad Royston 6, Anthony Bowman 5, Mark Gleeson 5, Stanley Gene 4, Said Tamghart 4, Dominic Maloney 4, Sean Penkywicz 4, Frank Watene 3, Luke Branighan 3, James Haley 2, Rob Worrincy 2

YOU SAY
come on fax well played still a long way to go stop passing to the other team nige

what a game ! Played really well tonight fax ! Brannigan quality ! ackers

what a win three wins three games we lost last year absoluty fab start duncan i