WIDNES Vikings welcome back Anthony Gelling ahead of a tough run of fixtures up to and including the Easter period.

Gelling was due to train yesterday after flying back in from a two-week period of leave as he prepared for his family’s move to the UK.

The charismatic centre will feature in Sunday’s trip to Batley as Vikings mount their mission to climb off the foot of the table.

Vikings boss Kieron Purtill said: “This week is back to business for Gells.

“It is a big period for us coming up to Easter for us as a club.

“We have a lot of games in a short period of time, so it will be a big boost to get him in.

“We are looking forward to the next few games now and it is a real focus for us now as a group ­— getting off the bottom.

“Getting to zero is the easy bit, now we have to climb the table.”

This period begins with Sunday’s trip to Batley and the most notorious slope in rugby league.

“It is never easy going there and have to combat that slope, which is just a bit steeper than the one we played on at the weekend at Stalybridge.

“But it is 13 against 13 and we will go there with a good attitude.

Purtill said: “It is about coming to these games and getting the into the hat for the next round.

In the first half we were very good but in the second half we eased off a little bit, but overall I am happy with what we have done.

“We rotated the team a little bit at Oldham because we have got some big games over Easter coming up, and that knocked us out of our stride a little bit,” Purtill said.

There are doubts over Owen Buckley - who hurt an ankle in his three try display against Oldham.

“It looks like ligament damage - he has been going well this past couple of weeks so it will be a shame if it keeps him out for a while,” Purtill said.

Sam Wilde went off with a head knock but Purtill hoped he would be fine for next week.

Meanwhile, Widnes have been drawn at home against York City Knights in the fifth round of the Coral Challenge Cup.

Ties to be played on weekend of 13/14 April.