MATTY DAVIES insists Hull Seahawks remain a work in progress and that it is too early to judge his team’s NIHL National silverware credentials.

Ahead of a mouthwatering double-header weekend against Yorkshire rivals and current league leaders Leeds Knights, Davies said his team were simply concentrating on getting better each week.

Saturday saw the Seahawks suffer their first regulation loss of the 2024-25 campaign, falling heavily in an 8-3 defeat at Milton Keynes Lightning.

But they responded in positive fashion to the setback when exacting revenge on Romford Raiders at Hull Ice Arena, the 5-2 victory making amends for a 5-4 overtime defeat in Essex two weeks ago.

SO FAR, SO GOOD: Head coach Matty Davies believes his Hull Seahawks are improving week on week in NIHL National this season. Picture: Seahawks Media/Adam Everitt.

This weekend’s home-and-away showdowns with Leeds will probably provide the best barometer yet for where each team’s title hopes lie.

But while admitting he was frustrated with the nature of the loss in MIlton Keynes, Davies saw enough bounce back from his players 24 hours later to give him confidence ahead of Saturday’s trip to Elland Road.

“We needed the bounce back on Sunday and we got that,” said Davies.

“But we’re still improving, we’re still getting there. We’re still in the first month of the season and we’re in a spot where we’re just trying to get better every week.

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

“I think everyone realises now that this league is no joke and that anybody can beat anyone.

“MK lost on Sunday night (4-3 in Peterborough) and that just shows that. On Saturday, they played great against us but then Sunday was difficult for them

“And that just shows that every night you’ve got to be on it and we’ve just got to look after ourselves and take care of how our game is.

“We did that on Sunday and it felt like we deserved to win, which was important going into next weekend.”

The game in Leeds doubles up as a National Cup game which, this season, will be harder for teams to qualify for the semi-finals given the final four are decided after just 10 games, each team playing the other just once.

Hull have won both their cup games so far, while Leeds have won three out of four.

“It is more difficult with just the 10 games,” added Davies. “This year, if you lose one game, two games, then it becomes really difficult.

“You’ve got to take care of your home games, get them two points at home no matter what and then just see what you pick up away from home.

“This Saturday is a huge one and we want to be in that Cup final four, of course we do, the same as everyone else does.”

Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies on his team's NIHL National season so far