It could have turned out to be a decisive moment in the game as Widnes surrendered an 18-0 lead either side of half time.

At 18-4 up, Tom Gilmore pounced on a loose ball close to his own try line and travelled 40 metres up the pitch before being met by a gaggle of Panthers defenders. Two of them, Joe Keyes and Adam Tangata, tackled Gilmore and proceeded to drag him towards touch.

With the tackle not complete, hence why the dragging was allowed, Gilmore offloaded the ball to speedy winger Ryan Ince, only for referee James Vella to blow his whistle and halt the game.

The forthcoming decision wasn’t that Gilmore had been carried in to touch, or indeed that a penalty had been awarded to Widnes for the drag on Gilmore, but a penalty to Halifax, who must have felt like they’d played at the best payout online casino uk and landed on a winner.

Happening right in front of the Widnes bench, the coaching staff and subs were as bemused as pretty much everybody else in the ground, including even the Halifax match commentator.

You can watch a clip of the incident below:

Widnes coach Allan Coleman approached the officials for an explanation as the teams left the pitch for half time.

Coleman said: “I just asked him why it was given against us. He said his elbow touched the ground before he passed it. But it doesn’t, and they’re dragging him. The penalty’s for a drag. The second one, he’s offloaded it, and the touch judge even told the referee it was a penalty to Widnes and he gave it a penalty to Halifax.

“He sticks to his (decision), he’s in charge, it’s probably no coincidence he’s not reffing Super League much these days.

“It was massive because Tom Gilmore’s made a break, so everything’s quick from that ruck. If we get a penalty there, like we should have done, we’re 20 metres off their line. If we get another (try) there, we’re gone. But it’s the opposite.”

The subsequent try Halifax scored got them back in the game at 18-10, and early in the second half, they would complete the comeback to lead 20-18.

A Gilmore penalty tied the game shortly after the hour mark, before Ryan Ince’s decisive try earned Widnes a third consecutive away win at The Shay.

It helps consolidate their place in the Championship play-off places, opening up a three point cushion above Featherstone, who currently sit in sixth place.

With Bradford due to visit the DCBL Stadium next weekend, and Sheffield surprisingly dropping points against Barrow, Widnes may start to look above them again. A win over Bradford could tighten the gap in the top five, while also giving the Vikings some breathing space between them and the chasing pack.

A trip to Whitehaven follows the week after, the Cumbrians being one of a number of teams currently scrapping for places between the play-offs and the relegation zone.

Halifax’s loss to Widnes leaves them in the bottom two, knowing that the third bottom team also has the risk of relegation, as they will this season participate in the League One play-offs due to a league re-structuring.