STEVE DEAKIN has warned his players to be ready for one of the toughest games of the season when they travel to Widnes on Sunday.

Although the Vikings sacked their coach this week and also lost influential stand-off Karle Hammond to Salford last weekend the Cougar coach expects them to be firing on all cylinders.

"They will have a chance to impress their new coach against top class opposition and will be determined to perform well," Deakin said.

The Widnes coach, David Hulme, was sacked by the club on Tuesday and yesterday they announced that Neil Kelly was taking over after resigning from Dewsbury.

"The players will want to show him what they are capable of and they have some impressive individuals with a lot of Super League experience," Deakin said.

But he has also been wanting his players not to get too involved in what the Widnes team will be doing.

"It isn't about them, it is about how we approach the game. That will determine if we are winners when the final hooter sounds."

He had picked out Mark Crompton as one of the main dangermen. Former Cougar Phil Cantillon also has the ability to punish teams with powerful runs if he is given the space to operate.

"We have to win the battle around the ruck and if we can do that we have the pace and ability to expose their weaknesses," he said.

The Widnes side could be vulnerable after they allow the wingers to drop back in defence early in the tackle count. The move leaves gaps in the defensive wall which Deakin aims to exploit. But has has warned that in recent games they have produced glimpses of brilliance just waiting to break out.

"One day they are going to get their act together for 80 minutes and they are going to really punish somebody. We just have to make sure that it isn't us.

"We have to keep them under pressure when they have the ball, and make sure we don't make silly mistakes when we are in possession."

Deakin expects to name an unchanged squad of 17 after last weekend's 60-20 victory over Barrow Border Raiders.

"Things are going exceptionally well with everybody at the club fit and healthy and out preparation for Sunday's match has gone very well.

"After last weekend's games the players were a bit disappointed in themselves after letting in 20 points in a home game. They just let their intensity drop for 10 minutes in each half and paid the price - but to put 60 points past a team which has realistic hopes of getting into the play-offs is no bad thing.

"At times we were unstoppable and would have punished even Super League defences."

The club also hopes a big following of Cougar fans will travel to the AutoQuest stadium to back their team.

"It should be a superb game," Steve Deakin said.