Betts chasing Vikings’ elusive confidence

Widnes coach Denis Betts has acknowledged that his team is struggling to find confidence in its Super League campaign at present.

The Vikings were beaten 18-12 by Salford at Magic Weekend on Saturday, and face Huddersfield at home on Sunday.

The Giants were boosted by a fine win over St Helens in Newcastle on Sunday.

“We need to win,” Betts said.

“There’s eight games left to go before the split. We just need to get some wins on the board.

“It’s about getting some points and giving ourselves some breathing space between us and those teams below us in ninth, 10, 11th and 12th place.

“It’s about climbing ourselves and getting some confidence back in the group.

“It was crucial that we won at the weekend and we didn’t, it was crucial that we beat Wakefield here, and we didn’t.

“Every week now is a big game for us, and in the last eight games every challenge that is thrown at us is going to be crucial.

“Confidence is one of those strange things. We’ve talked about belief, we’ve talked about the things we need to do better, and we get nodding heads.

“Then you see it for patches in the game. But when it disappears it’s hard to get back.”

Betts also acknowledged the crucial nature of the Giants clash, but insisted that every game between now and the split for the Super Eights was equally as vital.

“I don’t think there’s been a none crucial game in the last month,” he said.

“From Castleford to Wakefield, to Hull KR. All those sides are in the region that we are, and we’ve played them and not been able to benefit with getting two points and helping ourselves in our challenge for the top eight.

“Again, it’s not through lack of effort, not through an unwillingness to work hard.

“It’s lack of accuracy and understanding of where we are, and not executing stuff under pressure.”