MATTY DAVIES admits Hull Seahawks are heading into one of their biggest weekends of the season in terms of their chances of landing the NIHL National league title.

Wins over Leeds Knights and Telford Tigers extended the Seahawks’ winning streak to four games – a welcome turnaround after a run of three defeats in four immediately before it.

It strengthened their grip on fourth place in the regular season standings, but still some distance behind the top three of Milton Keynes Lightning, Swindon Wildcats and Leeds.

But Davies boldly declared his team were still in the race to land the most coveted of the second tier crowns, particularly with the top two of Milton Keynes and Swindon providing the opposition this weekend.

Going into today’s trip to Milton Keynes, the Seahawks are 13 points off the current leaders with a game in hand – and nine adrift of the Wildcats, who visit Hull on Sunday.

“This is the time for us now,” said Davies, who will again be without GB defenceman Dave Phillips due to an upper-body injury. “We’re coming into the downhill stretch.

“If we want to get even close to those top three we’ve got to win now and if we can go into MK and win, that would be a massive statement to everyone.

“This weekend is key for us. If we win this weekend then it really is alive for us.

CONFIDENT: Hull Seahawks' head coach, Matty Davies. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

“"It’s on us to get it done – two very tough games.

“At the moment, I can’t even think about Sunday’s that game yet. But I really believe that if we can get the job done on Saturday, we’ll get such a lift from that, I think we’ll stand a better chance of winning at home against Swindon, too.”

Sheffield Steeldogs – sat fifth and three points off the Seahawks – can do themselves and their Yorkshire rivals a big favour if they come back from today’s trip to Swindon with the points.

Ben Morgan’s team bounced back from a pair of losses to Hull a fortnight ago by winning 4-3 at Solway Sharks, only to then lose 3-2 at home to the same team the following day.

The Steeldogs remain on the road all weekend when they take another trip south to face a Romford Raiders team currently sat one point off them in the standings.

Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies and the pivotal weekend ahead for NIHL National title hopes