Widnes have made big noises about their supposed Super league intentions - but this morning, their big-spending plan looks decidedly flaky.

With only 14 players fit on Saturday and Rob Ball pulling out on Sunday morning with sickness, Darren Abram needed his patched-up side to show what they're made of - and how they did that!

Hornets were up and running after just three minutes. Exploiting Widnes' soft centre channel ( a route that would prove productive all afternoon), slick handling and a refusal to let the ball die culminated on Chris Giles planting the ball wide out. Kev King - who went on to kick a 100% five from five - slotted an excellent conversion.

Widnes rallied briefly. Tries from Dodd and O'Connor (converted by Dodd) gave the home side a brief lead, but Hornets blasted back.

Again exploiting Widnes' suspect right flank, Kev King worked the opening to find Paul Norman s arriving at speed to score with virtually his first touch. King again spot on from wide out with the two.

Hornets turned the screw. Three consecutive sets pinned Widnes deep in their own half, but Hornets fumbled away posssession. On the next incursion, it was Widnes who spilled the ball under no pressure and - from the resulting scrum - Lee Doran peeled away from loose forward to crash through James and Dodd's flapping tackles to score under the black dot. King added the two - and Widnes looked dead in the water with ten minutes of the first half remaining.

While the Vikings showed a distinct lack of imagination on attack, Hornets moved the ball around the park in search of another opening. And it was nifty footwork from Phil Hasty that rent the home defence assunder, his 30 metre break backed up by Paul Norman; the big prop hauled down just short.

With no real answers in the first 40, Widnes slunk from the field at the break: Hornets dominant in virtually every department and leading 18-12.

Wiith an obvious rocket up them, Widnes began the second half in a much more direct fashion, A series of forward drives set up a try for Beswick - but rather than herald the expected comeback, Widnes watched Hornets disappear into the distance.

Compelled to name both Sam Butterworth and Phil cantillon on the bench, the injection of both impact players had Widnes in alll sorts of trouble - add the distribution of Dave McConnell and the gule of Phil Hasty and Hornets' surfeit of ball players left Widnes chasing shadows in the last half hour.

On 57 minutes, good forward pressure took Hornets to within a metre. Cantillon suckered his former club with a one yard sneak; King added the extras.

With the resulting kick-off possession, Hornets again stretched Widnes' right flank. There was a long pause in play as the Vikings' wing Blanch was stretchered from the field, injured covering for his absent centre. From the restart, Hornets ran straight back through the same channel: quick hands from Lee Doran, the ball smuggled out of the tackle by Paul Anderson (playing his finest game in a Hornets shirt - in the second row!) and king ooutpaced the cover to score by the flag.

Just for good measure, Kingy banged home the conversion from the whitewash. Hornets fans in full voice, Widnes fans inheriting the Wigan supporters' attitude too as they headed for the exits with a quarter of the game to go.

Indeed, it looked at this point like a matter of how many Hornets might score - and they were unlucky not to add to the total. Firstly Sam Butterworth caused havoc as his stepping run took him clear in his own 20 metre zone, only to see him cut off a metre short at the other end by a fine tackle from Dodd.

Then good pressure in the tackle saw Widnes spew the ball, Hornets kicked the loose ball forward and, with the back three queuing up to score, Mr Leahy spared Widnes any futher embarassment by calling play back for the knock on.

With Widnes now reduced to ambling through their sets and hoofing the ball impotently to the Hornets cover defence, the visitors sought the coup de grace.

It came with two minutes remaining. Good Hornets pressure pushed Widnes back and Ian Gordon showed great composure to slam home a 40 metre drop goal. Game well and truly over.

This was one of the great Hornets victories. Pitted against a full time side packed with big reputations, Hornets gave a consummate demonstration of the fact that money can't buy you ticker. This was a huge-hearted performance where - bar a brief spell in the first quarter - Hornets bossed the game completely.

Nowhere was this more evident that at five-eighth where Phil Hasty took the piss out of big money Denis Moran all afternoon.

Darren Abram said: "We're learning and improving individually and the club is going from strength the strength... we have to build the club gradually, build the fan base and move on from there. I'd love to have a half million pound budget, but (the lads) should be paid on what's inside the jersey. I've got lads there playing for winning and losing money. I asked my players to stand up and be counted - it's on days like this you find out what they are made of."

Indeed, Widnes have spent a king's ransom on assembling a full-time side that was a distant second best to a bunch of lads who have to go to work this morning. But I'm sure, like us, they'll be turning in with a smile on their faces.