Manchester Phoenix player-coach Tony Hand has called on his team to build up a run of wins by beating Solway Sharks and Guildford Flames in front of home crowds this weekend.
Sitting ninth in the table after 13 games, the Manchester outfit recorded a much-needed win over the Basingstoke Bison last time out, scoring five goals in the third period to win 8-3.
It was their first home EPL victory since September, a run which Hand would rather not experience again.
“It was a relief to get a win against a very strong Basingstoke Bison team, but it was quite good to get some goals as well,” he told MM.
“It was important to get a win at home in front of the fans. You could feel the tension building, which happens inevitably, but we still haven’t hit our full potential this season.
“We did it against Telford and I thought we’d turned a corner, but then we lost to Peterborough.”
The victory over Basingstoke came off the back of a frustrating 3-1 defeat at Bracknell which left the Phoenix just two points ahead of the bottom side.
“We had countless chances to beat Bracknell, and yet again this season, we didn’t convert them. We’ve been playing teams and outshooting them and losing by an odd goal. It’s surreal sometimes.”
However, Hand cited the fixture list, which has seen the Phoenix play a number of cup games where they are forced to bench some of their best players, as one of the reasons his side has struggled for form.
“We are a team in transition because we’ve brought so many guys in and we’ve had these crossover cup games where we’re sitting four or five guys and we haven’t really got a lot of them going in a fluent run of games.”
Phoenix face another cup game this weekend when they take on the Solway Sharks on Saturday November 15, facing off at 7pm, before taking on the Guildford Flames on Sunday November 16.
Main image courtesy of officialphoenix via YouTube, with thanks.
