WIDNES Vikings travel to Headingley on Friday buoyed by their opening night fightback that earned a late draw against title favourites Wigan Warriors.

Denis Betts praised the Vikings’ indomitable spirit which shone through after they were reduced to 12 men following the sending off of Patrick Ah Van midway through the first half.

The big winger submitted an early guilty plea for the high tackle on opposite number Josh Charnley, who was led off the field in some distress, and will therefore miss the trip across the Pennines.

But if Vikings dig in on Friday – like they did against last year’s Super League runners up – they will once again make the pundits that are tipping them for a bottom-four finish sit up and take notice.

Betts believed the opening night draw – achieved with 12 men and despite coping with the loss of skipper Kevin Brown through injury – showed real character.

And the fact that Brown’s absence enabled scrum half Joe Mellor and new boy Aaron Heremaia to step up to the plate and show their ability under pressure was an added bonus in difficult circumstances.

The Vikings boss said: “What you saw was character.

“You can’t buy it, you have to nurture it.

“You don’t expect to lose your captain and your main playmaker early in the game and we had to change the way we play.

“I thought Aaron Heremaia was outstanding, he went in there and controlled the game from nine.”

Betts felt that referee James Child got it right with the red card and had no complaints about the tackle from Wigan prop Ryan Sutton on Brown – although the Vikings skipper may be a bit more careful who he dummies next time.

“Kev has got whiplash. It was a great shot from the kid, he’s rattled him about,” said Betts.

“It was a red card for Patrick Ah Van, who made contact with his head.

“I don’t think it was malicious but we’ve got to get rid of that sort of thing. I hope I would be saying the same thing if we had lost the game.”

Leeds go into the game, kick off 8pm, on the back of a 40-30 win at Hull Kingston Rovers in their season opener.