On paper, back-to-back games against NIHL National’s rock-bottom team for the league’s current form team should present few problems.

But nobody at Leeds Knights is taking Bristol Pitbulls lightly over the next 48 hours.

Fresh from a 14-3 hammering at Hull Seahawks last Sunday, the Pitbulls’ 2026-27 campaign reached its lowest point yet - one that has already brought a 12-1 defeat at leaders Milton Keynes Lightning and a 9-0 loss at defending league champions, Swindon Wildcats.

They have conceded five or more goals in 12 of their 14 games so far.

Throw in the fact the Knights - who are on a six-game winning streak - have won 20 of the 21 meetings between the two teams since Bristol were first elevated to the second tier back in 2022, some may be assuming the four points on offer across the next two days are already won.

But Knights’ players and staff make the long journey down to the West Country today fully aware of the potential banana skin that awaits them.

Someone, somewhere is due to come unstuck against the Pitbulls and the Knights are determined it won’t be them, either on the road tonight or back on home ice tomorrow where they have a 100 per cent record against their weekend opponents.

Oli Endicott - who made 11 appearances for the Pitbulls during the NIHL One South 2021-22 season before the team’s elevation to the second tier - is under no illusions as to the task facing the Knights over the next two days.

NOTHING FOR GRANTED: Leeds Knights' forward Oli Endicott believes Bristol Pitbulls are a team to be feared, despite their poor start to the NIHL National 2026-27 campaign - one which has them eight points adrift at the bottom of the table just a quarter of the way into the schedule. Picture: Charlotte Clarke/Knights Media.

placeholder image — NOTHING FOR GRANTED: Leeds Knights' forward Oli Endicott believes Bristol Pitbulls are a team to be feared, despite their poor start to the NIHL National 2026-27 campaign - one which has them eight points adrift at the bottom of the table just a quarter of the way into the schedule. Picture: Charlotte Clarke/Knights Media.

“That building is actually a tough place to go,” said Endicott. “We're a long way away from Bristol, so it's a long old drive.

“You just can't take them lightly. You've got to take away their last sort of three, four games, and just forget about that.

“You can only beat what's in front of you and I think that they're going to be a team now that's hungry to turn the page.

“So we need to make sure we can keep our train rolling and get four more points this weekend.”

Leeds head south knowing they will take to the ice without import forward Liam Peyton, who was handed a two-game ban for a boarding call which saw him ejected just before the end of the second period in the 5-2 win at Solway Sharks last weekend.

Having sat out the 3-2 win at home to Swindon on Sunday, Peyton will just miss the away game against Bristol.

Along with Edgars Vengis who is away on international duty with Great Britain at the European Cup of Nations in Poland, Peyton will be back in the Knights’ line-up for Sunday’s home game against the Pitbulls (face-off 4.15pm).