Widnes manager Michael Ellison says the visit of Macclesfield has increased in importance following their defeat to Skelmersdale United.
The Vikings failed to build on their positive showings against Glossop North End and Runcorn Linnets as second-half goals from Ste Milne and Matty Hamilton.
Their defeat leaves them at the foot of the table after results went against them with the gap to safety now at five points.
“It was really disappointing, we went into it confident and with our previous two games I thought we looked really good, four points, probably should’ve had six,” he told Off The Park.
“The way we played against Runcorn with 10 men for a large part of the game, we had an intensity and a desire in the game. Listen it was a strange game Boxing Day, do I think we deserved to lose the game? No. But did we do enough to win it? I think we had the lion share of possession in the first half but we couldn’t find that final pass.
“We had a lot of possession, got behind their midfield, there was a lot of space – I didn’t think there would be that much early on – for some reason, the lads couldn’t pick the pass. There was a lot of four-v-three’s and three-v-two’s and just picked the wrong options.”
The Widnes boss continued: “We went in at half-time and were pretty confident we could go out in the second half and again we missed a really good chance in one end, their lads made an outstanding block but the lads got to score, they go up the other end and capitalise then you’re 1-0 down.
“The second goal is absolutely horrendous and I just wish we had goals like that, the conditions, I don’t know if Louis has lost it and it’s hit his hip then it’s flicked in so it’s summed up our afternoon.
“I don’t think we done enough to win the game, we had a shot on target in the whole game and it’s not enough to win a football match but I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” he admitted.
The turn of the year sees the visit to league-leaders as Neil Danns’ side are the latest to be in the away dressing room at the DCBL Stadium.
In his first match in charge, the Silkmen cruised past Hanley Town as their free-scoring exploits continued.
Former Marine forward Neil Kengni scored twice as James Berry and Nicky Maynard also contributed to the scoresheet in a 4-0 win.
After their defeat to Skem, Ellison has heaped importance on the visit of the leaders as they look to rip up the form book.
He said: “They’ve got to goals in them all over the pitch, we’ll have to be at our best there’s no getting away from that.
“But if we can find a performance, which we have done at home, I think our home form has been positive we’ve been decent, we’ve been in every single game, we should have more points there’s no getting away from that but we haven’t to start taking our chances.
“It’s one we want to win, with the defeat on Saturday there’s more importance on it but we’ll have a gameplan, we’ll train hard but we’re under no illusions how hard it will be, they’re flying high, want to win the league and we want to stay in it, polar opposites.
“We’ll try get something out of the game, we feel we can, we’re not going into it to roll over, we’ll have a good go and see where we are at 5.”
