Toa Kohe-Love, Chaz I’Anson and James Ford are definitely ruled out for Widnes in their match with Whitehaven at the Recreation Ground tonight.

All three are unlikely to play again this season and Vikings have not won a Co-operative Championship fixture since April 25. Their latest reversal was a 30-22 defeat at Featherstone last Sunday.

Coach Paul Cullen has more important things to worry about, though. He has been granted compassionate leave, as required, by the Widnes club as he looks after his wife, Chris, who is currently receiving treatment for cancer.

As for Whitehaven, Craig Benson is ruled out after picking-up a rib cartilage injury while playing for the club’s reserves last week.

Spencer Miller (knee) will be assessed later today before coach Ged Stokes finalises his team.0

Carl Sice comes back into contention while loose forward Danny Barker is doubtful after taking a knock against Toulouse on Saturday.

Stokes said: “The game against Toulouse could have gone our way. We made a few line breaks that we should have finished off and that would have made the difference.”

He added: “We’re right under the pump now. The motivation is there for the players and the performances have been very good, we’ve just not been finishing the good play recently. Hopefully we can improve that aspect of our game.

“Our forwards have been dominant recently. We just need to improve our finishing and stop giving the opposition as much ball as we are doing.”

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