Super League match preview: St Helens v Widnes Vikings
Ade Gardner is targeting a return to winning ways for St Helens against Widnes Vikings.
Last Updated: 03/05/13 7:59pm
Saints have slumped to four Super League and Challenge Cup defeats on the bounce, the latest a 21-14 reverse at lowly London Broncos to drop to seventh in the table.
But winger Gardner, who returns to the 19-man squad following suspension, believes the hosts can turn this disappointing run around.
He told the club's official website: "We are remaining positive. The lads are hurting as we haven't won, but I think it is only a matter of time before we get on a decent run and start kicking on.
"It's never ideal going out of the Cup but we have five free weekends between now and the end of the season. That enables us to freshen up.
"I'm not used to that as in the past I've played 32 to 33 games a year. We have to take what we can from it really, build some blocks in training and freshen up."
As well as Gardner, St Helens welcome back forwards Willie Manu and Josh Perry from lengthy injury lay-offs, but they are still without six senior players.
Widnes are without full-back Rhys Hanbury, wingers Patrick Ah Van and Willie Isa and prop Ben Cross after all picked up injuries in the home defeat by Wakefield.
However, second-rower Dave Allen and centre Stefan Marsh are both back from injury, while half-back Danny Craven has also been included in the 19 after being out since the opening round with a fractured collarbone.
Teenager Jack Owens is set to take over at full-back.
St Helens 19-man squad: Ashe, Clough, Gardner, Greenwood, Hohaia, Howarth, Jones, Laffranchi, Makinson, Manu, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Percival, Perry, Puletua, Soliola, Thompson, Turner, Walmsley, Wellens.
Widnes 19-man squad: Allen, K Brown, Clarke, Craven, Dean, Flynn, Gore, Hock, Joseph, Kavanagh, Lawton, Marsh, Mellor, O'Carroll, Owens, Phelps, Pickersgill, Winterstein, White.