WIDNES Vikings are down to the bare bones ahead of Friday night’s derby clash against St Helens.

Further injuries arising from Easter’s double header have depleted the ranks.

Lloyd White, Danny Craven and Tom Armstrong all have appointments with the medical staff after picking up knocks against Leeds and considered unlikely to play on Friday.

Craven suffered a fractured finger and will have an operation later this week.

Vikings assistant coach Mick Cassidy said: “Nobody else is due back so it is about what we have got.

“Any player who is fit this week will be in contention for a shirt as we are running out of numbers.”

“We get two players back and lose three more.”

Vikings are rooted the the bottom after the teams around them began stringing results together. Approaching the midway point it leaves Vikings staring down the barrel of the middle eights unless they can begin turning patchy performances into winning ones.

But Cassidy added: “You can’t focus on the negatives.

“If you do that then you are going to be negative and low in confidence.

“We scored some good tries on Monday, we had two lads on debut and we had a young team with both Chapelhows impressing and JJ (Jordan Johnstone) going well at nine for past five weeks.

“If we can put two halves together we will come up with some results.

“We know we can score points we are just lacking a bit of defence when the game gets tough.”

Chris Houston has been found not guilty after he was charged with contact with the referee during last Thursday's game.