Vikings firing on all fronts

Apr 17 2008 by Ian Cheveau, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

WIDNES boss Steve McCormack says his players are relishing the prospect of battling on three fronts after seeing their chances of success this season written off by critics.

The Vikings have made a sensational start the new campaign.

They have qualified for the last eight of the Northern Rail Cup.

The team is unbeaten in Co-operative National League One.

A huge Challenge Cup tie beckons – providing they get past resurgent Doncaster Lakers this Sunday.

McCormack says he’s quite happy to have people outside the club label Widnes as underdogs.

He said: “People have written us off in every round so far but we are happy for them to do that.

“Internally, we are a tightly-knit group and know what we have to do.

“We aren’t concerned with what people are saying about us – we just have to keep working hard and doing our jobs.”

McCormack has been touted as an early front runner for the National League coach-of-the-year award he has already won twice with Whitehaven.

But he stressed his players must maintain their focus and perform to the same high standards that saw them chalk up, against all odds, two points from a draw against Salford at The Willows on Friday.

McCormack added: “It was probably our best performance of the season.

“We played to a very high level of intensity and we have to perform to those levels every week.

“We were disappointed that we didn’t take the victory away with us in the end. We went there to win.

“Despite a lot of people writing us off beforehand, we knew we were capable of getting all three points, never mind two.”

Despite them still challenging for honours on all three fronts, McCormack said his players aren’t getting carried away with themselves.

“We know it’s a long season,’ he insisted.

“We find ourselves in three big competitions now and we are not prioritising any of them as they are all important.

“The Challenge Cup is the best cup competition in the world and this club has a rich history in it so we want to progress and do well.

“The Doncaster game is going to be a real battle for us. They are going really well in National League Two and are a very good side.

“Ellery Hanley has them well organised and they will fancy it.’

Widnes hold a secret weapon in their armoury in the form of assistant coach John Stankevitch.

Stankevitch left Widnes last season to take up the head coaching post at Doncaster, but soon found himself back at Vikings.

Gruelling travel commitments took their toll on the former Widnes star – not before he had signed the majority of Doncaster’s current squad.

McCormack said: “Having John Stankevitch on board with us has been a real bonus as most of the players who are there now were signed by John.

“He knows them inside out and having him in our camp has been extremely beneficial.

“To be fair to John, he did a good job there but chose to come back to Widnes for family reasons.

“They were relegated but that wasn’t down to John. In terms of their players, they are a National League One side which is now in National League Two.

“They have big Zeb Lousi, who is going well for them, and some talented young half-backs from Leeds who have them well organised in the middle of the park.

“John signed Chris McKenna as well and he is big player for them so we know they are dangerous.”