Phillips lays his title Cards on the table

SHEFFIELD skipper Jonathan Phillips is backing Cardiff to complete a hat-trick of top-flight championships – but only if they win at Fife on Thursday night.

GB star Phillips had a close-up view of the two title rivals over the weekend, as the Steelers beat Belfast Giants 4-1 on Saturday night before being crushed 6-0 in south Wales less than 24 hours later.

Cardiff jumped back into top spot, two points in front with Thursday night’s trip to Scotland their game in hand.

Phillips, who won four league crowns in five seasons with the Steelers, said: “If Cardiff lose against Fife I wouldn’t say it’s 100 per cent Belfast’s title, but if Cardiff win I’d definitely put all my money on them. They are too experienced. You have to know the big moments of the game when you are chasing the championship and they have got big players who bring something out when it’s needed.

“They have been and done it before. When we were winning championships Cardiff were right on our tails, but it was new for them and we had been through it all before.

“They won that first one and since then they have dominated because they all know what it takes to win.”

Belfast have the easier run-in with six of their last eight games at home and that is why Phillips reckons Thursday is a do-or-die trip for the defending champions.

“They are both difficult places to go to but Belfast have such a big advantage because of the extra travel to get there,” he said.

“We fly over, I think the Scottish teams normally go on the ferry, but either way that’s a tough travel.”