That’s been the story for Hastings Valley Vikings to start their 2018 Mid North Coast Rugby Union season.

They will hope the break of 21 days won’t interrupt the momentum they have generated from three-straight wins to start their campaign.

The Vikings travel to Grafton on Saturday with the winner to move to outright first on the ladder in a clash between the two undefeated sides.

Vikings coach Dave Henry knows his team will need to be at their best, but their cause won’t be helped by the absence of Ash Grieve, Josh Purcell, Lyndon Gale and Kenny Anderson.

“We’ll have to be very good,” he said.

“To travel three hours on a bus and then you have to get off and play some of your best rugby; it doesn’t get much harder in our competition.”

The Vikings have previously been able to get the job done more often than not on the Redmen’s dunghill, but they haven’t always had it their own way.

“It’s historically been a tough trip to get a win,” Henry said.

Grafton have already claimed some impressive scalps in the opening four rounds with victories over Port Pirates and Southern Cross University Marlins.

In the process they have racked up the most impressive points differential (+137), scoring 208 points at an average of 50 per game.

Their defence has conceded just 71 points at an average of  just under 18 per game.

It is a different story to previous seasons when they have been closer to the bottom than the top, but Henry believes their successful start is no fluke.

“I expect they’ll be there at the end of the year,” he said.

The Vikings coach believed the closeness of the competition could only benefit local rugby.

“You want the competition to be close because it creates interest, whether that’s with the players or the fans,” he said.