Widnes and Wigan Play Out Controversial Draw Super League XX got off to an exciting, if controversial, start as a twelve-man Widnes Vikings defied all the odds to steal a draw, and share the points with 2014 Grand Finalists the Wigan Warriors. The largest Widnes crowd for over ten years, a shade over nine thousand, witnessed a match packed full of action, incident and a decent helping of contention which saw Patrick Ah Van red-carded after twenty-two minutes, Matty Smith sin-binned with four minutes left on the clock and Charnley and Brown both leaving the field to not return after falling foul of new ‘concussion’ guidelines. But it wouldn’t be Super League without a bit of controversy. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Widnes and Wigan Play Out Controversial Draw Super League XX got off to an exciting, if controversial, start as a twelve-man Widnes Vikings defied all the odds to steal a draw, and share the points with 2014 Grand Finalists the Wigan Warriors. The largest Widnes crowd for over ten years, a shade over nine thousand, witnessed a match packed full of action, incident and a decent helping of contention which saw Patrick Ah Van red-carded after twenty-two minutes, Matty Smith sin-binned with four minutes left on the clock and Charnley and Brown both leaving the field to not return after falling foul of new ‘concussion’ guidelines. But it wouldn’t be Super League without a bit of controversy. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Well done Widnes a moral victory for you tonight, thought Farrell should have been penalised if not sent off for continual lying on, Burgess as well as Smith should have gone off for the fracas after Widnes try. and the ref was very poor towards widnes by ignoring constant infringements from wigan. Hope you have a great season from an ardent Leigh Centurions fan x

Don't think it was Burgess, think it was Tomkins but I agree with everything else you say.

A great come back but the worst reffing I have ever seen. Smith and Tompkins should have both been sent off after Deans try. I Hope Farrell gets a good smacking by the Aussies, Wanes type of thugby needs to be halted its just as pathetic as the man himself. Well played lads did the town proud tonight. Joe Mellor is one of the hardest players I have ever seen he got battered tonight most of the time by foul play but just dusted himself down and got on with the job in hand. Well played lad.

you showed great spirit. hopefully it wont last all season

Here's another match report ... www.nothingbutleague.com/super-l ... -warriors/

Here's another match report ... www.nothingbutleague.com/super-l ... -warriors/

I had to laugh when Wigan were awarded a penalty when the ref deemed Mellor had pushed one of the Wigan players (O'Loughlin) when it was O'Loughlin who had pushed or stuck an elbow or leg out to block Mellor when he chased his own kick though! O'Carroll came in an only pushed SO. Mellor asking the ref who he had pushed and the muppet just ignored him because he didn't have a clue as he got it fiiiking wrong. Yet when Smith kicks our player and Tomkins assaults a guy off the ball we get no penalty?

You mean the one where Mellor ran into one of our players and fell over like a footballer when he knew he wasn't going to reach his own kick through. Then O'Carroll came in and started pushing. Oh dear, the refs really all do hate Widnes, or so you would have us believe.

Yes the ref was more in our favour last night overall but jesus, I've never seen another set of fans moan about a ref as much as you lot. Every Widnes game I've been to is the same (and I've sat with the Widnes fans as a neutral on a few occasions too).

EDIT: but you are 100% correct about the Smith/Tomkins incident, that was stupid of them, and badly handled by Child.

LOL. Yes the referees are biased. They're all cheats and Super League is full of corrupt, bias referees hell bent on gifting Wigan victory.

But seriously, Widnes deserved both points. I just feel people are going a little OTT with their talk about Child.

I mean Widnes' penultimate try came off the back of a very strange decision to award a penalty to Widnes for a second attempt on a player who was already in touch. Not to mention penalising Gelling for a 'knock on' when we was pushed back as he tried to play the ball. We were 1 metre out at the time. Not all decision went against Widnes.

I don't think most people are saying that JW, I agree the pen for the O'Carroll push(es) was correct but to pull Mellor and blame him when it was him who was shoved as he went past SO and went down rather easily (footballer like) is just poor. Correct Pen to Wigan for that. As for Gelling 1 metre out I would have taken it if he got the pen for the push as they can go either way, however earlier in the half on the North Stand side a Wigan player could have been Gelling was tackled he got up and had two guys in front of him as markers, he stood up pushed one over as he was standing up to mark him and this allowed the acting half to scoot away. This should have been a penalty to Widnes but nothing was given, swings and roundabouts.

Pen against Tomkins I too thought was harsh and having watched it back just once last night I thought the same but on slow reply Hulme is flat on the ground with 2/3 Wigan players on him and he is going to be put into touch, but Tomkins makes the decisions to jump it too which is a late shot / flop call it what you wants and was total uncalled for. So pen correct for me.

We could carry on and on with decisions, we threw 1/2 forward passes that were not called, Wigan threw even more that weren't called, one of which was the pass before Charnley got the ball and was hit by Ah Van. If ref blew for the forward pass (2 metres by the way not slightly forward) then tackle is never made and so no foul or red card which IMO would have resulted in a Wigan win. So it not bothering to give the forward pass went against Wigan instead of in your favour.

I don't think Refs are biased just not up to the job at SL level.

Dirty play and rule infringements should be picked up 90+% of the time not 60-70% of the time. The tackle in the air on Phelps was ridiculous how was that not seen or even checked with TV cameras there? We can only hope the other refs are as poor as Child.

Did you see how long it took Roby to make a decision in the Saints v Cats game ? Even the sky pundits thought he looked at the screen then made a call.