Vikings boss McCormack still hopes for fourth

Aug 21 2008 by Dave Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

WIDNES Vikings boss Steve McCormack hasn’t given up hope of finishing fourth to secure a home tie in the play-offs.

Vikings are all but mathematically sure of a place in the top six shake-up – before this weekend’s final round of regular league matches in The Co-operative National League One.

However, it would need some remarkable results for McCormack’s men to end up higher than their current fifth – a position they can seal by winning at Whitehaven, lying sixth, on Sunday (ko 3pm).

Fifth or sixth would mean an away tie for Widnes.

But that in itself would be a feather in the team’s cap after starting the season on minus nine points and then suffering the heartbreak of missing out on a Super League licence from 2009.

Head coach McCormack said: “We are still not guaranteed to be in the play-offs but it’s certainly in our own hands and considering what has gone on, I am very proud of the players and what they have achieved.

“It is a massive achievement. Now we are virtually in there, we have reached our goals but hopefully we will go further.

“This Sunday is a big challenge for us. Whitehaven is a tough place to go – there are no tougher places in this division.

“But if we do well there and win, we could finish fourth which would give us a home tie.”

Even if Widnes beat Whitehaven, struggling Batley Bulldogs would also need to cause a massive upset against visiting Leigh to deny the Centurions fourth place.

However, McCormack is content to look after his own charges and let the other teams look after themselves.

“Anybody in the top six can beat each other and we are certainly confident that we are more than capable of competing with and beating anybody on our day,” he added.

“It is all ifs and buts. But all we have done all year is concentrate on ourselves and that’s what we will do on Sunday.

“Whitehaven have a very good home record – I am not sure when the last time they got beaten there.

“But from our point of view, we want to finish the season on a high and go into the play-offs in confident mood.”

Key on-loan scrum-half Matty Smith (bruised hip) is responding to treatment.

The timely returns from long-term injuries of hooker Mark Smith and stand-off Tim Hartley has further lifted spirits.

Mark Smith had to go off at Sheffield but only to have stitches in an eye wound.

“It will just go with the other scars on his body and Mark is not bothered about that,” added McCormack.

“It is also nice to see Tim Hartley come through as he has had a long lay-off.

“We have a pretty experienced reserve-grade team now.

“Paul Noone is also fit and available for selection and, at this stage of the season, I am quite happy with the bodies we have available.”