Gloom after Telford Tigers suffer double blow

Telford Tigers player-coach Tom Watkins believes his players "choked" in their biggest weekend of the season, with defeats to play-off rivals Bracknell Bees and Peterborough Phantoms.

Saturday night saw the Tigers lose 1-0 to eighth-placed Bracknell in Berkshire, while Sunday produced a 8-6 defeat to the Phantoms.

Those two defeats dealt a huge blow to Telford's lingering hopes of taking part in the end-of-season tournament, although they still remain within mathematical reach.

But Watkins was more concerned about the loss of confidence from his side - especially during Sunday's loss to Peterborough.

He said: "I am disappointed, as it was a big weekend against two teams close to us in the table. I felt we choked.

"We didn't show up for the first two periods at home and these are big games for us.

"It is all about these teams around us in the league. Four points would have been a huge confidence boost, but to come out flat against Peterborough was frustrating."

Telford struggled to find a way past Bracknell's resolute defence on Saturday night, while on Sunday, it was a different story.

Goals from Marek Hornak and Scott McKenzie held Peterborough to a 3-2 lead at the end of the first period, with a further strike from Joe Henry on 36 minutes.

By that point, however, the visitors had already scored six times and although Juraj Senko, Tomas Janak and Luke Brittle pulled it back to 6-6, Peterborough recovered to claim the points.

Watkins added: "I think we were too naive defensively and that is more finger-pointing at the forwards, than defence.

"If we let teams skate and dominate the neutral zone, then this sort of thing happens. On such a small ice pad as the one here, things happen very quickly and it is hard to get back.

"In the third period we had just three defencemen and that hurt us."

Telford fans will take some hope from the plight of Swindon Wildcats, who have been dragged into the fight for a final play-off spot with six successive defeats.

That places the Wiltshire outfit just 14 points ahead in the standings, as teams prepare for the final six weeks of the season.

And Watkins will be looking to take advantage of that run next weekend, as he prepares for a trip to Manchester on Saturday, before another away game - in Peterborough - on Sunday.

Tom Soar was named Frankie & Benny's Player of the Month for January.