The pressure is on Warrington, says Betts

Widnes coach Denis Betts says Warrington are expected to beat them on Friday and that the pressure is on the Wolves to do that.

Warrington have lost their opening two games to Leeds and Huddersfield, while Widnes opened with a win over Catalans and a one-point loss at Castleford.

They go head-to-head in the first Cheshire derby of the season at the Halton Stadium on Friday night as a result of both teams finishing in the bottom four last year.

Betts said: “They’re expected to win, that’s the pressure on them.

“They’ve not started how they want to. They’ve recruited heavily, they’ve got a new coach and all the pressure is on them.

“They’re expected to win home games, they’re expected to win against Huddersfield away and they’re expected to come here and beat us and beat us quite convincingly, and our job is to not let that happen.”

It will mark another return for former Widnes captain Kevin Brown, who put in two man of the match performances for Warrington against his ex-employers last season, both at the Halliwell Jones Stadium when he received a frosty reception from Vikings fans.

Betts added: “He did a fantastic job for this club, he was outstanding all the time he was here. He gave everything he had to being a Widnes Viking so you’ve got to appreciate what he did for this group and what he did for this club in his time here.

“But he plays for Warrington now.”