Widnes produced a second-half rally to leave Wakefield deep in relegation trouble.

The Vikings were thankful for two penalties immediately after half-time and a try on the hour from Jason Demetriou after being held 16-14 in the first half.

Former Wakefield player Adam Hughes put over the two-pointers before Demetriou intercepted a stray pass by Adrian Vowles to race 80 metres and touch down.

Wakefield refused to be broken and hit back when Brad Davis hoisted a high ball, Andrew Frew jumped and Graham Law followed up to touch down.

And Davis goaled from the touchline to leave Wildcats only 24-20 down.

But Widnes secured the victory with a try from Daniel Frame five minutes from time after surviving a scare when Frew was bundled into touch by the corner flag.

Hughes again converted to give the visitors a 10-point cushion - and Barry Eaton, another Wakefield old boy, put the icing on the cake with his side's sixth try.

Defences were particularly dominant in the first half, although the five tries scored before the break were all out of the top drawer.

Widnes were the first to touch down, Steve Carter finishing off a brisk passing move in response to two Davis penalties for the home side.

Ex-Cat Hughes converted to put Vikings ahead after 10 minutes but Wakefield surged into a 14-6 lead with two tries in six minutes from Widnes-bound centre Deon Bird and Frew.

Vikings struck twice in the last two minutes of the half, Frame bagging the first and Chris Percival taking advantage of poor defending by opposite number Waisale Sovatabua for the second.

Wakefield: Holland, Sovatabua, Tassell, Bird, Frew, Moana, Davis, Jackson, Handforth, Feather, Slattery, Ellis, Vowles. Replacements: Keating, March, Field, Law.

Widnes: Spruce, Percival, Dimitrio, Hughes, Devlin, Carter, Weston, Relf, Eaton, Stone, Farrell, McCurrie, Frame. Replacements: Atcheson, O'Neill, Richardson, Mills.

Referee: Robert Connolly (Wigan).