Since beating leaders Leeds Knights just before Christmas, the Seahawks have won just once in seven games, leaving them fifth in the standings and 17 points adrift of their Yorkshire rivals at the top of the table.

Prior to the festive season, Davies was hopeful of breaking into the top three, but has seen his team overhauled by in-form Swindon Wildcats who have also overtaken Peterborough Phantoms to move third, where they are seven points better off than the Seahawks.

A rejuvenated Swindon - who started the season with no home rink due to a flooding incident - inflicted Hull’s heaviest defeat of the season on December 29 when they won 8-3 at the re-opened Link Centre.

SLUMP: Hull Seahawks have won just once in seven games since beating leaders Leeds Knights on the road on December 22. Picture: Stephen Cunningham/Knights Media.

Davies hoped his players had turned a corner when they edged out Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Steeldogs 4-3 five days later but, last weekend,they went down twice in back-to-back games against Telford Tigers.

The Shropshire club are now sixth and just three points adrift of Hull, who return to action this weekend with a trip to seventh-placed Raiders IHC before a visit on Sunday from title-chasing Milton Keynes Lightning, who currently sit second in the standings, two points off the Knights.

“We’ve had a real tough couple of weeks,” said Davies. “We’ve got a lot of despondent lads and you get to the point where you start questioning yourself a little bit - never have I ever done that in my life, career, anything. It hurts me, it really, really hurts.

“Last season, we knew we weren’t good enough, but I was more proud of the lads last season than I am at this point.

AMBITIOUS: Hull Seahawks need to rediscover the kind of form that took them into the top four og NIHL National ahead of the Christmas and New year period. Picture: Adam Everitt/Seahawks Media.

“And that’s because clearly we’ve spent more money, clearly we’ve tried to improve the club and the team - but unfortunately I’ve got some players who just aren’t doing it right now.

It’s a real tough one to take, to be honest.

“We’ve slipped right back into the pack. After the win at Leeds we gave ourselves a chance to be in there but mentally we’ve folded and we’ve given in to the tough times that this league is about.

“We’ve not proved that we can live with those big boys clearly and it’s going to be a battle from this point on.

PAINFUL: Matty Davies has been left deflated by a run of form which has seen his Hull Seahawks team win just once in seven games. Picture: Tony King/Seahawks Media.

“We’re right in the middle of it, right in the middle of the league and everyone is playing well and coming up behind us.

“We’re in a right slump right now and we have to turn it around - there are no two ways about it.”

Davies reiterated last week’s threat to make further changes to his roster. Former Leeds Knights’ defenceman Josh Hodgkinson is serving his notice at Whitley Warriors and is set to join up with his new Hull team-mates ahead of the January 20 game at Bees IHC. But there could be more ins and outs.

“If that’s what is needed, then changes will be made,” added Davies. “Because this is my club and I need this club to be successful in the sense that the fans here want to see a winning team. I want to see a winning team even more than them.

“So it’s on me now to change things and get this team back to where I think it should be.”

Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies 'hurting' as he vows to bring end to NIHL National form slump