The Lakeside Hammers have no meetings this week but they are already preparing for next week when they have three important meetings.
Next Monday, 16th June, they are away in a Sky Sports Elite League match against Eastbourne, which will be shown live on Sky Sports. This is a match that the Hammers Team Manager, Jon Cook, captain, Adam Shields, and Finnish International Joonas Kylmakorpi will be particularly keen to win as they have all been involved with the Sussex club in the past.
Cook believes that it is a fixture that the Hammers could win and has stated:“We are all looking forward the trip down to Arlington to face the Eagles next Monday and having been Team Manager there for many years until my move to Lakeside prior to the start of last season I would be delighted to get a win in front of the cameras from Sky Sports. The last time we were live on Sky was up at Wolverhampton in April where we got the win and a repeat of that scoreline would be great. At the moment we are in third place in the League but have several matches in hand over Swindon and Poole, who are above us. Similarly we also have matches in hand over the majority of sides below us so things look quite good for us at the moment.”
Following the League trip to Eastbourne next Monday the Hammers will then have their Elite League Knockout Cup tie against the Peterborough Panthers to concentrate on. The first leg will take place at the Panthers East of England Showground circuit on the Thursday (19th June) with the second leg the following evening at their Arena-Essex Raceway. The Hammers will be looking to claim the aggregate win to put them through to the next round of the competition.
The Hammers are already through to the Craven Shield Final, against Coventry, and will be looking to not only progress to the final stages of the Knockout Cup but also gain a top four place in the League, which will put them through to the end of season play-off’s. Ideally they will want a top two league position, which will ensure a home tie in the semi final of the play-off’s.
Jon Cook commented on how the Hammers have progressed so far this season by saying: “It is a long time that the Hammers supporters have been able to cheer their side on in a major competition final, so the Craven Shield will give them an opportunity of doing so but I really want us to get through the Knockout Cup Final as well. To achieve that we need to see off the Panthers next week on aggregate and then see who we get in the next round. As far as the League is concerned we are where we want to be – up in the top four with matches in hand. I am convinced that the Club has still got a lot to go for this season and that this will be great for everyone involved with the Club and our supporters.”
There will be no action at the Hammers Arena-Essex Raceway this Friday, 13th June, with the Cup match against Peterborough scheduled to start at 8pm the following Friday.
