Following a stretch of seven successive wins in the new year, Lightning struggled to maintain that form in the games that followed.  But Poole’s men approach this weekend’s home game against Sheffield on the back of back-to-back wins against Swindon Wildcats, and were unlucky not to take their goal tally into double figures in last Sunday’s match against the Wiltshire side.  And whilst Lightning go into this weekend's game against the Steeldogs on the back of a four point weekend, Andre Payette’s side  go into the game following six successive defeats.

The two sides last met when Lightning’s 0-5 away demolition of their hosts was the final match in charge for Matt Darlow, who was released three days later.  Payette took the reins with Sheffield’s management hoping that his combative style would give the team more of an attacking  edge - and his appointment had an immediate impact, the Steeldogs winning their first two games under their new player-coach.

Poole said last weekend’s back-to-back wins against Swindon helped buoy morale in the Lightning camp after some disappointing results.  “It was fantastic to have a four-point weekend after a one or two defeats”, he said.  “Yes our form’s stumbled a little – but all teams have periods like that and ours has been no worse than any any other team’s wobbles – everyone’s had them, from the top of the league table to the bottom.  It’s what you do about it that counts.

“Losing to Peterborough hurt, but it just spurred everyone on to get back to winning as soon as possible.  We knew that taking the points from Swindon last weekend wasn’t going to be easy as they’ve had a very good run recently – but everyone was really fired up and it paid off”.

The Canadian paid tribute to the tenacity of Lightning’s supporters and praised them for backing the team through difficult times recently.  “We owe it to the fans to play as well as we possibly can, every game. They turn out in numbers at home and away, every week.  And when you see - and hear - the support  they give us at games like Peterborough away on a weeknight, when many of them will have travelled after a full day at work, you realise how much every match means to them.

“It doesn’t matter where in the league a team is, you can’t take anything for granted – so we’ll approach Saturday’s game against Sheffield the same way we approach every game; prepared to play as well as we possibly can, and looking to take two points.   Fourth place is still achievable and the play-offs are just around the corner – we’ll be pushing right through to the end.”

Lightning take on Sheffield Steeldogs at Planet Ice on Saturday 12 February, face-off 7.00pm.