A NIGHTMARE run of fixtures continues for Widnes on Sunday as they face the daunting prospect of taking on Bradford Bulls at Odsal.
A Vikings side low on attacking confidence after only four Super League wins all season take on the awesome defence and formidable pack of the World Club Champions.
But Bradford are beatable, as Widnes almost proved at the Halton Stadium a month ago and head coach Neil Kelly is confident his battling side can pick up points in the coming weeks.
"We are in a tough run of fixtures where we play all of the big teams but although we have only won once in this spell, against Warrington, we have had one poor defeat and I have not been disappointed with the effort overall," he said.
"We have put in some good performances against the likes of Wigan, Bradford, Leeds and Saints and we are looking to continue that level of effort in the games coming up."
The Vikings failed to break their hoodoo against Saints, going down 40-12, and it will be a miracle if they get anything out of the game at Odsal where Bradford crushed Huddersfield by the same score-line at the weekend.
Kelly is keen to talk up the positives from the Saints defeat - such as Aussie centre, Aaron Moule's first try for the club - but also the importance of keeping his 19-man squad motivated and injury-free for when the fixture list becomes a little kinder in mid-July.
"The aim is to keep improving our current form so that when we hit that run against the teams around us we are in a better shape to keep out of trouble," he said.
As Super League's lowest scoring side, the Vikings will have their work cut out against the likes of towering 20 stone props Paul Anderson and Joe Vagana, the guile of standoff Leon Pryce and the pace of winger Lesley Vainikolo.
But they must put in the level of desire and commitment Kelly and the fans demand of them if their fragile confidence is to remain intact for a crunch clash with Wigan next weekend.
