How much more help you needed?We had Hanbury, Phelps,Marsh, ah van, Mellor, gore, Gilmore, craven, Carberry and Kavanagh missing today.

We were missing Ben johnson and Adam Robinson.. Our form forward and half back.. It happens....

What was apparent for me today is people complain about the way we have played all year but what I saw from Widnes was utter garbage to watch. yes effective and grind us out of the game but one out plays with a jon clarke scoot was pretty dull viewing. Thought we played some decent stuff but ultimately got done by fast defensive line speed, quick play the balls and kevin Browns kicking game.

We seemed to lose our heads when we smashed Hep Cahill making him spill the ball only for that waste of oxygen with a flag to rule a penalty. Widnes got on a roll and really made us pay.

Just the Widnes line to at least start 10 metres back was all I wanted. Brown was by far your best player today, and I'm just saying it could have been much closer if he'd not played.

All the best in the next round.

Great effort today from the lads the score line flattered Widnes which was a shame, two poor decisions costs us big time but roll on next week.

Mellor is the best halfback at our club and Kev Brown is quality too. The weather was a leveller in my opinion but you gave us a good game. All teams have injuries and we are missing a few of quality. Anyway you will do well this year and all the best mate.

Good effort today. Widnes just too strong in the second half. Kev Brown was excellent behind a dominant pack. Kicking game needed to be better. Gave away too many pen.

Btw, I couldn't support Widnes through sheer boredom watching Tickle prepare for his kicks!!

To be honest could put up with it. Great player

I totally agree Lee. Johnston's pace would have skinned some of their forwards who i thought looked very flat-footed in defence, he would have also exploited their side-by-side marking at PTB, how they got away with that from start to finish is beyond me ! The first half we were magnificent & the Cahill incident was disgraceful, the big soft puff changed his line to pick out our winger & he got clattered from the inside fair & square, he winced like a playground bully when he lost the ball & then took delight in the wrong decision which penalised us, poor effort from him. All three match officials had stinkers, that's Thomason's worst performance that i've seen, maybe he got SL flu for the day.... at least our game wasn't decided by a dodgy drop-goal decision !!!! That would have hurt.

Onto next week now, three points is a necessity i.m.o. if we're fit & healthy we'll be in a good position with our current form.

A huge effort by all the Team, gave Widnes a scare in first half. Cahill penalty a turning point, Brown then took charge, end score did not show the true story of the game. Proud to be a Fax Fan. Next week is an important match, keep playing as last 3 weeks and we can do it.

The difference yesterday was that extra strength and fitness of a SL team. And they were cleverer around the ruck and the defensive line where you would expect them to be. Plus they managed to turn us in the tackle better whilst they generally hit the ground on their knees in attack so had quicker play the ball, although it seems you are now allowed to surrender and still get a quick play. This meant they got a roll on in the second half and managed to force a fair few repeat set so that was always going to tell.

In terms of creativity, they didn’t really have any more than us. In fact I dare say we tried more stuff. A good effort from our boys, we stuck to it even when the game had slipped away. But well done Widnes, they had a tough game from us but they stuck well to their plan and did what they had to do well to win the game.

Fax played well and never gave up, even when the game got away from them at the end. The real difference was the speed, power and fitness of a full time team, I also thought Kevin Brown was poor for Widnes, yes he came up with a couple of kicks that led to tries and scored the interception, but he was playing behind a dominant pack and failed to open us up once with ball in hand. For a player with so much SL experience I think he was disappointing, I'm glad Mellor didn't play. Some poor calls also by the officials at times but I don't think that would have made a difference in the end.

I thought that there was very little between the two sides on the day. Full time players just about edged it, but we could have done without three officials who hadn't a clue between them.The penalty early in the 2nd half was laughable and the big turning point in the game. Play like that next week and we will be reight! Well played Fax.

I thought with a fair crack of the whip Fax could have been a whole lot closer to Widnes. I usually stand in the South Stand but were in the East stand yesterday and the offsides were really bad. If anything I thought we were far too disciplined getting back to the ref because as we saw it was ok to stand way offside in nearly every tackle without any danger of getting penalized.

Frustratingly though the ref found it in his heart to award us a penalty with 3 minutes to go for Widnes not been stood square. A few more decisions like that early in the second half when we needed them and deserved them more and it would have been interesting.

Like people have said the penalty awarded for the dropped ball was massive. If you are going to run in with the ball instead of your arm then theres a good chance of it popping out like it did but luckily for Widnes they had a very forgiving linesman on this occasion.

I think we can take a lot of heart in that Widnes didnt make a clean break all the game which shows out defence did a sterling job but in the end fitness and that bit of extra class in Brown made all the difference.

Just shows how opinions as supporters differ, I thought Brown was superb, although he should have got 10 mins for the attack on the head of one of our players.

He was pretty much the only Widnes player that I'd have put in the Fax team based on yesterday's game.

Tes Tickle on the bench?
But then for who?
No I think your right.

thought Hep Cahill had a good game for them

He did get through a lot of work but nothing spectacular unless launching the ball forward in the tackle counts.

Classic this topic. Tickle on the bench this is comedy of top draw.The weather has helped Fax, and also been a big game is bound to raise your game, and Widnes only needed to be in Second gear. Training session really.

Cahill and Tickle would all over your forwards, especially on a warm sunny day. You must be all wearing the wrong goggles.

Ah but they'd also blow our salary cap as well.

Nearly all of Widnes attacking play went through Brown, so in that respect he did boss the game for them along with Clarke, but this is a Stand off with over 200 appearances in SL and an England International. Apart from a couple of good attacking kick I thought he just looked busy without really threatening. He didn't create a single opening with ball in hand and Widnes didn't make a break all game. I suppose I was just expecting more from him, maybe if Mellor had of played he would have linked better with him. Just my opinion of course.

Interesting comments refn refs, imo they seem to be ruining the spectacle at present. Failure to police the 10m and stop the ruck being slowed down is making the game boring at all levels.
We had 3 SL pre season friendlies, two rule books were on display in every one. Watching SL is currently like watching the NRL in slow motion