WIDNES will use the blank cup date this weekend to recover from a intense three week period which saw them win two out of four.

Alas, the defeat at Saints on Friday, combined with Leigh’s win over Wigan on Thursday, has returned the Vikings to the foot of the table; five points away from a now improbable top eight finish.

After a good run, coach Denis Betts held his hands up and admitted that they were beaten by a better side.

Betts said: “We just didn’t have enough to get over the line.

“We should have got off to a scoring start as Charly Runciman goes over and he should score.

“We had a chance and they took their opportunities we didn’t take ours.

“In the second half we didn’t have any ball and did an awful lot of defending.

“It was one of those times where they built pressure and got the job done.

“They fell over the line with Alex Walmsley and that was a soft try to concede.

“They scored again in the corner and that was it.

“It’s disappointing as we had turned a corner in the last month or so.

“We have started getting bodies back but today I hold my hands up and say they played better than us.

“I don’t want to make excuses. We just got beaten by a side who played particularly well. They manufactured two quality tries in the second half.”

Widnes’ next game is the round 19 game at home to Leigh a week on Thursday.

They will have Rangi Chase available for that game after he was fined, but not banned for a tripping offence.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge from the fixture against St Helens on June 9. Chase was found guilty and fined £300.

Meanwhile Sam Wilde and Jack Johnson have returned to Warrington Wolves, following the completion of their one month loan period at Widnes Vikings.

Wilde made two appearances at the Vikings, with Johnson making three appearances.