Widnes Vikings: Paul Cullen says fans have yet to see the best of Stobart Stadium team

Apr 16 2009 by Paul Glynn, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

VIKINGS supporters are yet to see anything like the real Widnes so far this season – according to head coach Paul Cullen.

Cullen’s squad, which was stretched to its absolute limits over a busy Easter weekend, won just one out of two Co-operative Championship fixtures played in the space of four days.

The Widnes boss saw his side suffer a last minute 10-8 defeat to Leigh at the Stobart Stadium Halton on Good Friday.

But this was followed by a free-flowing 24-18 victory at Doncaster on Easter Monday.

Now the Widnes boss, who has lamented his players’ lack of discipline of late, admits to having mixed emotions about the weekend’s events.

Cullen said: “We made reasonable progress but we also learned some lessons during a period of little training.

“There were some real good signs in both games but we still have a bit of work to do on discipline and nailing our chances.

“We were guilty of over-complicating and need to get out of the habit of losing the ball cheaply, but the scoreline always reflects the game and in both the opposition didn't really break through our defence.”

Despite suffering back-to-back league and cup defeats prior to the victory over the Dons last time out, Widnes find still themselves sitting pretty in third place in the Championship and in a position to welcome back several key players.

Danny Mills made his competitive Vikings’ debut from the bench on Monday, while young forward Stephen Bannister enjoyed a Bank Holiday weekend run-out for the reserves, augmenting head coach Cullen’s rather meagre player numbers.

Cullen added: “Our resources were tested over Easter and we have learned that we’ll be a far stronger team when we have everyone fit.

“The likes of Shane Grady, who played his first game from second row, really stepped up against Doncaster.

“So too did Danny Mills, who made his name as a winger, coming in to give us a fresh body at centre and Loz Wildbore at loose-forward when we needed them.

“All of the bench made a positive impact; Sam Thompson did a good job and Ben Kavanagh had a great game and it was a good win considering.

“Stephen Bannister has been out for a while and got on for two spells in the reserves, so he’s off the medical list now and back in the frame.”

Next up for Vikings is the visit of Batley to the Stobart Stadium Halton tomorrow (ko 7.30pm).

The Yorkshire side went down 22-60 at home to Toulouse earlier in the week.

However, Cullen refused to speculate about the possibility of the visitors suffering a similar scoreline this weekend – preferring to concentrate his energies on ensuring Widnes’ own house is in order.

“We’re a long way off where we want to be, but we had seven players sat with me on Monday who would consider themselves to be in the starting 13.

“Lee Paterson is not far off a reserve run-out and I see him as a natural loose-forward.

“We’ve not got a perfect jigsaw yet and the pieces don't fit into place.

“But, hopefully, at some point we’ll get to see the whole picture as we are nowhere near it yet.”

Half-back John Duffy, who has been filling in at 13 in Paterson’s absence, is a doubt for the Batley game, after injuring a shoulder in the final play of the ball against Leigh.