Vikings’ awful
● the fact the losing run equals their worst ever in league football which dates back to the 1950-51 season.
And to rub even more salt into the wound, skipper Chris Houston was sent-off in the latter stages for dissent.
Cummins was forthright in his post-match assessment of his team’s performance.
He said: “Errors and a bit of discipline were the problem.
“We gave them two back-toback penalties when they couldn’t get out of their own half at the time. We found a hard way to play the game again; this is the pattern we’re talking about.
“Early on we dominated fieldposition, we tested them, put them under pressure and found an easier way to play the game.
“Then they get the odd decision, or a 50-50 doesn’t go our way, and they come up with a play.
“The main problem for me was the second half with the way we tried to chase the game and pull out things we’d never even practiced. That’s not what we’re about. A few players got chances tonight but unfortunately they didn’t take them.
“The big thing for us is our mindset; we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
“We’ve got to regroup again and look at some things we’ve done wrong and be better for next time. That’s all we can do.”
The last minute withdrawal of centre Stefan Marsh through ill- ness disrupted things for the Vikings with Matt Whitley forced to switch into the backline.
Houston was back after a lengthy injury absence while scrum-half Tom Gilmore and prop Alex Gerrard were also drafted in with Danny Craven switching to full-back for the injured Rhys Hanbury.
Weller Hauraki, on loan from Salford, got his second outing in a Vikings’ shirt and as a reciprocal gesture prop Greg Burke and threequarter Ed Chamberlain were allowed to feature for the Red Devils despite being on loan from Widnes.
The Vikings enjoyed some early field-position and took the lead on five minutes when a Joe Mellor kick bounced awkwardly