Time pressing for Steeldogs’ play-off charge

It was a rare four-point weekend for Andre Payette’s side, following up Saturday night’s 6-4 win at Swindon Wildcats with a 6-3 triumph over bottom club Telford Tigers 24 hours later at ice Sheffield.

Lubomir Korhon was the home ice hero for Payette’s team on Sunday, plundering a hat-trick over struggling Telford.

Lloyd Gibson, Payette and Andrew Hirst were the other players on target.

In Swindon, early goals from Payette and Gibson gave the Steeldogs a 2-0 lead after less than 10 minutes.

That was how it remained until a fired-up Swindon replied with three unanswered strikes of their own in the second period, the first coming from Jonas Hoog at 24.49 before two from Aaron Nell, the second with just 28 seconds of the period remaining.

Gibson levelled with his second of the night at 43.47, only for the home side to regain the lead with Hoog’s 46th-minute strike.

But three goals in under 10 minutes - from Greg Wood, Hirst and Stuart Brittle - turned the match around for the battling Yorkshire club, who haven’t given up hope just yet of making the post-season.

Results elsewhere mean that Bracknell Bees and Peterborough Phantoms are the two clubs in Steeldogs’ sights, both currently six points ahead of their South Yorkshire rivals, with Steeldogs having a game in hand on Jon Kynaston’s team.