Catalans Dragons are just two matches away from a first Powergen Challenge Cup final appearance after Widnes lost to French opposition for the second successive year.

The Dragons, who took the Vikings' place in the top-flight, made their Super League class tell as they cruised through their fifth-round clash at the Halton Stadium.

Widnes, who lost to Toulouse in the quarter-finals last season, were missing 10 regulars, three through injury and three cup-tied, and their lack of experience showed.

The one-time cup kings - they were Wembley finalists seven times in 10 years from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s - made a disastrous start, allowing French winger Bruno Verges to cross unopposed for two tries in the first 17 minutes.

His first came with just 39 seconds on the clock after Widnes winger Paul O'Connor lost the ball in the first tackle of the match.

Matters improved only marginally for the home side, who had no answer to the probing runs and shrewd tactical kicking of scrum-half Michael Dobson.

The 19-year-old replacement for injured playmaker Stacey Jones scored one try after re-gathering his own grubber and kicked five goals from six attempts in a man-of-the-match display.

Dobson's half-back partner Laurent Frayssinous scored the Dragons' other first-half try after a superb break by former Widnes winger Justin Murphy as the visitors led 24-10 at the break.

Veteran forward Barrie McDermott, a Challenge Cup winner with Leeds in 1999, tried to rally Widnes and they scored first-half tries through centre Mick Nanyn and hooker Mark Smith.

The Frenchmen extended their lead after 55 minutes through centre Mark Hughes, who made up for earlier being turned on his back, but they were never able to reproduce their impressive first-half play.

The second half will be best remembered for a bust-up between McDermott and Adel Fellous and, as tempers began to fray, the sin-binning of Dragons full-back Renaud Guigue for exacting his own retribution for a foul by Smith.

Widnes made the extra man count on 68 minutes when a break from his own half by O'Connor set up the position for Nanyn to cross for his second try and he also kicked a second goal.

But the Catalans had the final say when Murphy raced onto a kick at the corner for his side's sixth try.