The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Four more wins will see Phantoms home and hosed
Phantoms strengthened their grip on the final play- off spot by enjoying a first four- point weekend of the season thanks to a a triumphant derby tript o Milton Keynes Lightning and a crucial home success against Sheffield Steel dogs.
They are now six points clear of the chasing Steel dogs and also boast a match in hand on their pursuers. Phantoms have 14 regular- season matches remaining and their focus is on reeling in the teams above them in the standings.
Kynaston said: “I told the guys ahead of last weekend that I felt we needed a dozen points to be sure of making the play- offs.
“They went out and picked up a couple of good wins so we’re probably looking at eight more points from here.
“But I am not the sort of coach who believes in setting targets. We goin to every game with the intention of winning and our aim is to try to catch the teams above us in the table.
“We’re four points behind Bracknell and five adrift of Swind on and hopefully we can bridge the gap to those teams.
“The most important thing is securing our play- off spot as quickly as possible and ensure we arrive there in good form.”
Kynaston was thrilled by the display his team produced when sinking arch- rivals Milton Keynes 3- 2 on their own ice last Saturday.
He wasn’t quite so i mpressed by the display during a 5- 3 home triumph over Sheffield 24 hours later. Phantoms looked to be cruising to a 4- 1 victory until conceding twice during a third- period wobble, but an empty- netter from James Ferrara in the dying seconds saw the home.
Kynaston added: “We played very well in Milton Keynes whereas Sheffield was never going to be a game of flowing hockey.
“We managed the puck well for 55 minutes but it is the poor spells in games that we have to cut out. We came through it against Sheffield but better teams will punish us in those situations.”
Phantoms go to Swindon on Saturday ( 5.45pm) before hosting Mancheste rat the Peterborough Arena on Sunday ( 5.30pm). Head coach Jon Kynaston reckons four more wins will secure an English Premier League play- off place - but the Phantoms chief will not merely settle for that.