CONTROVERSY reigned as Huddersfield's Tetley's Super League play-off hopes nosedived.

The final 10 minutes at the Halton Stadium, where on-loan Giants player Matthew Whittaker scored two tries for home team Widnes, produced more action and excitement than the previous 70 put together.

Having looked down and out, Huddersfield rallied with two tries in three minutes through Jim Gannon and Brandon Costin.

That left them six points adrift with seven minutes to go - and it looked as if kicker Costin would have the chance to level when Sean Penkywicz plunged over next to the posts with four minutes left.

However London-based Aussie referee Ashley Klein, who seems to upset fans of every team he referees, ruled prop Gannon had played the ball illegally before the Huddersfield hooker crossed.

It left Widnes mightily relieved and Giants coach Jon Sharp seeking an urgent meeting with referees boss Stuart Cummings.

For Sharp - whose side had another great chance two minutes after Penkywicz's effort was wiped out, only for Paul White to have his ankles tapped by Widnes's last defender, full-back Tim Holmes - yesterday's contest continued a trend of perceived refereeing injustices during a spell in which his side have suffered 12 defeats in 16 and six on the spin.

It started with only two minutes on the clock when Widnes, desperate for a win to stay in front of basement side Castleford, who were to pull off a shock 21-14 home win over Hull, went ahead through Aussie debutant Justin Murphy.

A superb offload by prop Julian O'Neill led to a high kick from scrum half Willie Peters to the Giants' right-hand corner.

Murphy, recruited from New Zealand Warriors to boost the fight against relegation, dived onto the ball, with the Giants claiming it was bounced but Mr Klein giving the score the green light after consulting a touch judge.

Stand-off Jules O'Neill hit the near post with his conversion attempt, and Costin halved the home lead with a penalty three minutes later.

But pumped-up Widnes were soon back on the attack.

Giants winger Bolu Fagborun, who was impressive on his full debut, showed a cool head to collect Peters' awkward high kick under pressure from two attackers in the 10th minute.

But two minutes later, the Giants defence was pierced - by one of their own number.

Second row Whittaker, playing his fourth match after being allowed out on loan to Widnes, was on hand to touch down after Peters' chip through took a kind deflection off the post padding.

As delighted Whittaker pointed to the name on the back of his shirt, Jules O'Neill landed the goal.

The kicker was unable to count with a 19th-minute penalty, and both David Mills and Steve McCurrie went close during Widnes pressure before the first meaningful Huddersfield attack on 25 minutes, when right winger Marcus St Hilaire was held out.

Widnes were still having far more of the game, with Murphy and Julian O'Neill both going close, but it was the Giants who came up with the next score, from a Widnes attack!

The home side were just starting a set of a six from a scrum when Peters' wild pass went to ground and Costin spotted his chance, gathering the ball and racing through from 70 metres, to leave Paul March with a simple goal.

Huddersfield appeared to have fought their way back into the game, but slipshod defending let Peters in for a simple try just two minutes into the second half.

Jules O'Neill kicked the goal, then added a 53rd-minute penalty, awarded for crossing.

Further penalties, for laying on then dissent, provided the field position from which Widnes worked the ball from right to left and Whittaker crossed for his second try on 56 minutes.

Jules O'Neill's conversion attempt from wide out fell short, but when he scored a two-pointer in the 67th minute, things looked done and dusted.

The Giants, however, had other ideas, and if the home fans were getting slightly anxious when Gannon went over in the 71st minute after a neat combination by Hefin O'Hare and Stuart Jones and Costin converted, fingernails were rapidly disappearing when Costin comfortably outpaced Deon Bird to get the crucial touch to March's well-placed kick.

Costin couldn't convert, but with a gap of six points, seven minutes still to go and Widnes wavering, a draw looked possible.

It wasn't to happen, and while victory went down well with Widnes fans, it will also have pleased those of Wakefield, whose side now occupy the final play-off berth with a two-point cushion after beating Salford 46-18.