The Whites again failed to create too many clear-cut chances and were punished when Rawson capitalised on a loose back pass to roll an effort beyond Aidan Stone.

Brighouse posed problems on the break but they were routinely gifted opportunities by slack Widnes defending, and could have scored more had they not lacked quality in front of goal.

Co-bosses Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey made four changes to the side that held Trafford to a goalless draw last time out.

Danny Shaw left the club in midweek while Shaun Holden, Sam Sheen and Ben Hodkinson were all unavailable with James Steele, Sam Heathcote and James Murray earning recalls.

Elsewhere, there was a debut for Eoin Ashton who joined on loan from SkyBet Championship side West Brom earlier in the week.

It was a sloppy start from the hosts but they slowly started to probe with George Webster shooting wide after good work by Anointed Chukwu in the build-up.

Brighouse then should have taken the lead when Michael Grogan’s poor pass was intercepted by Rawson, but he could only drag an effort across the face of goal and wide as a gilt-edged opportunity went begging.

Both sides then exchanged half-chances as Widnes’ Ashton blazed over while Alhassane Keita forced a comfortable save out of Stone on the half-hour mark.

The visitors were gifted an opener on the stroke of half-time. Ashton’s back pass was loose and collected by Rawson, who easily rolled away from the challenge of Heathcote and found the bottom corner.

It was a goal that summed up Widnes’ recent form but in truth, the Whites never really looked like mustering an equaliser following the restart.

Vill Powell’s Brighouse should have enjoyed a more comfortable margin of victory after Rawson smashed the crossbar after Fisnik Hajdari conceded possession deep in his own half.

Rawson then headed comfortably into Stone’s gloves on the hour from a Shiraz Khan cross, before hitting the bar once again minutes later with a looping header.

Widnes had to wait until the 76th minute to fashion a decent opening, but Chukwu’s effort was easily saved by Porter.

Akrigg and Towey rolled the dice by handing a senior debut to teenager Amir Hajri as the Widnes Academy captain joined Chukwu up front, but there was to be no late rally as the game petered out as a contest.

Grogan did come close to an equaliser, grazing the crossbar with a half-volley but Widnes’ fate was already sealed as they slip to 17th – just one point above the relegation zone and bottom club Pickering Town.