Wakefield snatched a dramatic 18-16 victory over Widnes
Craig Hall scored a last-gasp try as Wakefield snatched a dramatic 18-16 victory over Widnes on Friday night.
The Vikings had looked set for their first win in six Super League games as they led 16-12 in the closing stages, but Hall touched down in the 78th minute and Finn slotted the conversion to settle an ill-tempered contest that saw two players sent off and three sin-binned.
Wakefield' Scott Moore and Widnes scrum-half Aaron Heremaia were dismissed midway through the first half, with Vikings centre Patrick Ah Van having already been sin-binned and team-mates Lloyd White and Stefan Marsh following suit in the second period.
The game started in frenetic fashion. Widnes were down to 12 men after eight minutes when Ah Van was sin-binned for a crunching tackle on Ashley Gibson.
When Ah Van returned he was immediately felled by a tackle from Moore, who was sent off along with Heremaia after an ensuing brawl.
Matt Whitley was then held up over the line and then Chris Dean bundled into touch as Widnes strove to break the deadlock.
Wakefield's troubles continued with skipper Danny Kirmond forced to leave the action with concussion with 30 minutes gone.
But the Wildcats went ahead against the run of play with 34 minutes on the clock, when Jacob Miller shot through the defence for Anthony Tupou to cross, and Finn converted. Miller lost possession, but referee Joe Cobb ruled the ball had come off a Widnes defender.
Ah Van had a try disallowed for a forward pass, but a Finn penalty made it 8-0 at the break.
Widnes finally breached the visitors' defence early in the second half after Charly Runciman's touchline run beat Ben Jones-Bishop and Max Jowitt.
Another Finn penalty made it 10-4, but Widnes were level with a converted try after Eamon O'Carroll took Gil Dudson's slipped pass to run in under the posts.
Finn's third penalty edged Wakefield back in front at 12-10 before Widnes had White sin-binned for a professional foul.
But the Vikings went ahead for the first time with Hanbury racing over and then converting his own try to make it 16-12.
Marsh was then yellow-carded for a blatant trip, before Hall went over for the vital try that sealed the win.
