Widnes boss Michael Ellison was delighted to see his side move off the foot of the table but admitted that they mustn’t get carried away.
They continued their resurgent run with a 3-1 win over fellow strugglers Ramsbottom United – leapfrogging them in the process.
For Widnes, it is their seventh point out of a possible nine since their sobering defeat to City of Liverpool in mid-October.
Despite making it nervy in parts, Ellison spoke highly of his side to Off The Park, he said: “It’s a step closer to where we want to be, we could’ve done it a game before against Clitheroe, I think we should’ve nicked that at the end but built on a couple of really good performances.
“I thought we were well worth the win in the end, made it a little bit more difficult than what we needed it to be in the second-half, we should’ve put it to bed in the first-half.
“Then in the second half, we should’ve took a couple of clearcut opportunities then it was about getting three points on the day so I think the lads deserved it.
“I keep saying it to the lads, I don’t think we’re at must-win games, I don’t believe in that. I think there’s a lot of games to play but it’s a game we want a win. You can demand a performance and I demanded a performance, it was important we built on our previous performances.
“I think since Trafford, we’ve looked decent, improved in certain areas and I think we proved that. The three points is massive for us, we know that, getting off the bottom of the table is a real positive, we’ve still got a long way to go, we’re still down there.
“There’s no getting away from that, it’s a good win, a good three points but we don’t get carried away, we’ve still got lots of stuff to work on.”
This weekend they make their longest trip of the season as they travel to Workington. The Reds have enjoyed a turnaround under Danny Grainger after their slow start to the campaign.
Widnes can take inspiration from City of Liverpool’s draw at Borough Park but Ellison knows full well the quality that they possess and how the outlook can change in an instance.
He continued: “It’s one of the toughest places to go, we know that, we know what they’re about, they’ve got lads that can turn the game on its head – as I’ve known in the past.
“We’re under no illusions how tough its going to be but with the last three performances, I think we’re going there a bit more confident, go there with a bit more of a gameplan like we have the last three games, if the lads can execute it we have a chance of getting something. It’s a tough, tough game.
“Going up there, you know you have to defend well, you have to defend as a unit, you can’t give them time and space. They have players like Symington, as I found out last season, that can turn the game on its head.
“We know we have to be defensively solid and City of Liverpool went up there last week and got a really good point, we’ll be looking to our lads to say ‘why can’t we do the same?’”
