Saints looked to be coasting to a one-sided victory as they pulled 40-16 ahead, but they were left hanging on in the closing stages as they allowed their hosts right back into the contest before clinching a nervy 40-38 success.

The rot set in for Saints when Widnes forward Kurt Haggerty went over and James Roby was then sin-binned for a professional foul.

Widnes grabbed three late tries when Saints were down to 12 men and the tie would have gone to a golden point had Patrick Ah Van's conversion to his own try not hit the post.

Rush, in charge until Nathan Brown takes over at the end of the season, said: "We were well in control until the last 15 or 16 minutes and then went missing.

Panic

"Obviously going down to 12 men didn't help but we panicked and have to take a look at ourselves.

"Our kicking game went a little bit awry and it wasn't good enough. We have to do better than that.

"No side should ever get beaten if they score 40 points and we have to learn from this. We must be better.

"We won but there is disappointment in the dressing-room. The relief will probably come tomorrow."

Rush did though pay tribute to winger Adam Swift, who made his debut despite the death of his grandfather Harold on Friday.

"It was a brave decision by Adam to play and he did well," he said. "I played for Blackbrook where Harold was chairman and he put so much into that club."

Betts hails effort

Widnes coach Denis Betts, who won the Lance Todd Trophy in Wigan's 1991 Wembley victory over St Helens, saluted his side's courageous display.

"We have been a side struggling for confidence but this was a great effort," he said.

"The passion was there and our chairman Steve O'Connor came into the dressing room afterwards to say how proud he was of the performance.

"Hep Cahill was fantastic and Jack Owens is an outstanding young player. He is still at college but is dedicated and the kind of player we want at the club.

"We are on an emotional roller-coaster but have to try and build on this, although we have to try and stop conceding 30 or 40 points a week."