WINLESS Widnes Vikings have a short turnaround as they seek to pick themselves up from last Sunday’s home nilling by Castleford.

They travel to Hull FC on Friday night where they play a side with a tough pack, tricky halves and a vocal support.

But Vikings boss Denis Betts wants to see a response from his players after a disappointing opening four weeks that has seen them second bottom, ahead of pointless Warrington Wolves at the foot of the table.

Betts said: “It doesn’t get any easier, week-in, week-out, but we have got to find a way of getting some points on the board.

“We are only a couple of wins away from getting back in the mix.

“But as a group we have to find a way of digging deep to find some resilience and form. both individually and as a group.

“Across the team we have not got anyone who is playing particularly well.

“If you look at the spine there’s nobody standing out who we can say ‘let’s get some support around them’.

“If you get two or three players like that you can change the game.”

After losing to Catalans, Hull left it late to beat an off-colour Saints in a scrappy game at the weekend, so it did show a degree of vulnerability despite the quality they field across the board.

But the way they finished the game will have given them more confidence.

And they have some tricky players to keep an eye on with Albert Kelly now looking like he is finding his feet alongside Marc Sneyd in the halves.

“Kelly brings the unexpected and is the extra bit of quality who can break the game open as you saw against Saints last week.

“He is a tough defender, too and is a good acquisition for them,” Betts said.

Widnes Vikings 19-Man Squad:

26. Tom Armstrong,
3. Chris Bridge,
10. Jack Buchanan,
13. Hep Cahill,
23. Jay Chapelhow,
22. Ted Chapelhow,
32. Danny Craven,
15. Gil Dudson,
1. Rhys Hanbury,
33. Aaron Heremaia,
11. Chris Houston,
31. Jordan Johnstone,
19. MacGraff Leuluai,
17. Stefan Marsh,
25. Tom Olbison,
4. Charly Runciman,
2. Corey Thompson,
9. Lloyd White,
12. Matt Whitley.

Hull FC 19-man squad:

1. Jamie Shaul,
2. Mahe Fonua,
3. Carlos Tuimavave,
4. Josh Griffin,
6. Albert Kelly,
7. Marc Sneyd,
8. Scott Taylor,
9. Danny Houghton,
12. Mark Minichiello,
13. Gareth Ellis,
14. Jake Connor,
15. Christopher Green,
16. Jordan Thompson,
17. Danny Washbrook,
19. Steve Michaels,
21. Sika Manu,
22. Josh Bowden,
27. Jack Downs,
29. Masimbaashe Matongo.