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Hand praises his young guns

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With just six games played in the new English Premier League season, Manchester Phoenix player coach Tony Hand is delighted with the early season form of his younger players.

Scot Iain Bowie and Nottingham born Robert Lachowicz have both scored four times and with goals coming from right across the roster, Hand is understandably happy with the start his team have made.

"There is always an element of doubt when you put a bunch of players together who are both young and need to get to know each other, but the signs are very good," Hand noted. "And their bright start, enthusiasm and raw energy has taken some pressure off the older players such as Ed (Courtenay) and myself."

"We've won five of our six games and whilst it was disappointing to have lost our home game against Milton Keynes, the signs last weekend were very encouraging that the team and the line formations are beginning to gel. It's important that players build up understandings with their linemates and while we're far from the finished article, the players are keen to impress every time we take to ice."

Phoenix have a tough weekend ahead of them - Saturday sees them at home in Altrincham against the Sheffield Scimitars at 7.00pm and then on Sunday, Phoenix travel to last seasons' Grand Slam champions, the Peterborough Phantoms.

Hand commented, "we've already seen in three games against the Scimitars that they will come to play hard for the full sixty minutes, so we'll have to be totally focussed and both physically and mentally prepared. Peterborough are a much changed side from the one that swept the board last season, but we will not take them lightly on Sunday."