HIGH-flying Hull FC will present a formidable challenge on Sunday, but Widnes assistant coach Brett Hodgson insists the Black and Whites are not unbeatable.

Vikings are rooted to the foot of the table after failing to kick on from their win at home to St Helens at Salford.

And with 11 games to go before the league splits, they are becoming desperate for points to climb out of the bottom four.

But they will need a special performance against Hull, who made it three on the spin with a win over Warrington last week.

Hodgson said: “Hull are going well and I thought they were excellent against Warrington with quality players across the park.

“They are missing a couple on Friday, with Scott Taylor with England and Sika Manu suspended, but they will simply fill the gaps with a player of the same quality.

“They are big and they are fast, but they are not unbeatable.”

One of Hull’s box office players this year has been Man of Steel contender Albert Kelly, who is thriving next to shrewd kicker Marc Sneyd, playing behind a big pack.

“Albert Kelly is the sort of player that needs to be enjoying his rugby league and it looks like he is at Hull.

“When he is happy in his environment he is a very good player.

“There’s no doubt he has that X factor and that is why they winning games convincingly,” he said.

“Put him alongside Marc Sneyd, off the back of their forwards, they are a difficult team to come up against,” he said.

There is a chance that Vikings could have hookers Aaron Heremaia and Lloyd White back within the next week or two - and they will have fitness tests later this week.

In their absence Jordan Johnstone has stepped up, but he took a head knock at Salford.

Hodgson added: “JJ has been good and he works hard.

“He is going to be a very good player with a big future, he just needs to work on his tackle technique to get his head out of the way a bit more.”