Caroline Garbett, TygerPR
Telford Tigers' four-point weekend has reinvigorated the team as they go into the closing stages of the Premier League, with a home fixture against Peterborough on Saturday (5.30pm) and a trip to Bracknell the following day.Tigers are currently just one point behind last week's losers Bees, with a game in hand, and would dearly love to not finish dead last in their first season as a supporters' trust. The side has just two more weeks of league action after this weekend.
And although mathematically the final play-off slot is not out of the question, it would take a stunning run-in from Telford to overtake Bees, Sheffield and Swindon to steal eighth in the league table.
However, having taken points off the top four team - including last week's surprise 7-4 win at Basingstoke - hope are high that Telford can turnover sixth placed Peterborough, who recorded a narrow loss to Slough last Sunday but a 2-1 win over Milton Keynes on Saturday.
Player-coach Tom Watkins said: "We are feeling confident after last weekend. I don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves, but this is an important weekend. It's a bit do or die.
"We need the four points to keep the slim chance of the play-offs alive.
"As far as I know I have a full squad, I think everyone is fit, so we just need to keep up the intensity this weekend."
Spirits have been further lifted this week with the news that six Telford-based youngsters were invited to play in the England under-19s game that forms part of the Elite League finals extravaganza in Nottingam next month. Luke Brittle, Jack Watkins, Dan Scott, James Warman, Ben Hunt and Declan Ryan were all selected to face Scotland in the prestigious game.
And Scott and Watkins also got the call-up to join Coventry Blaze this week for games in Hull and Glasgow, with Blaze and GB boss Paul Thompson declaring himself "pleased" with what he saw from the young players.
Tom Watkins added: "I understand the lads did very well. The experience of playing at that level will be good for them - and for the Tigers."
Doors open 4.45pm at Telford Ice Rink, with face-off at 5.30pm against Peterborough Phantoms.
Telford Tigers have a rescheduled fixture against Milton Keynes Lightning next Tuesday as the clubs seek to clear outstanding matches before the end of the season.
The game, on March 15, will face off at 7.30pm at Telford Ice Rink.
Club vice-chairman Mike Dixon said: "It has been difficult to find a date that both Tigers and Lightning were able to fit into their playing schedules.
"We have to thank the Telford Junior club for co-operating with us on valuable ice time. It is never easy to schedule all the fixtures for Tigers, juniors, Titans and the Wrekin Raiders ladies teams, but fortunately we will now be able to fulfil all our Premier League fixtures.
"As we only have three home league games left this season, we hope lots of supporters are able to join us for this rare weeknight game."
Doors open at 6.45pm on Tuesday with the game facing off at 7.30pm.
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