Lindum Hockey player-coach Matt Bell is keen to “put the record straight” and avenge his side’s only dropped points of the season when they face Sheffield on Saturday.
The table-toppers welcome the first visitors of 2024 to Lincoln, for a 6.30pm start on Saturday night.
Bell thinks the game with have an “edge” to it as a result of Sheffield reporting Lindum player Mike White after their previous encounter, resulting in a ban for the ‘Yellow Submarine’s man.
“They’re the only team who have took points of us in the first half of the season. It was a night to forget for both teams, with the waterlogged pitch making it hard to play hockey,” he said.
Bell added: “Sheffield have played up to the Premiership and have good pedigree at this level. In our game against them earlier this season they were quite resolute at the back, but didn’t make any chances.”
Lindum host title contenders Timperley next weekend, before a trip to rivals Doncaster the following week. It’s a period Bell previously described as “season defining” to LincSport.
However, the player-coach isn’t looking beyond the visit of Sheffield. He said: “The Sheffield game is as important as Timperley. We want to put the record straight, if we beat them we’ll have beaten everyone in the league.”
In their first game of the New Year, Lindum came away with a 5-1 win at bottom-side Belper HC.
Bell looked back on the game, and said: “They had a new coach and you could feel the energy. They took the lead with a penalty corner, but it was a fluke how they won the corner. We knew it was a matter of time.”
Bell went behind in the game, in front of what he described as a “boisterous crowd”, but believed the result was a routine win for his side.
“It could’ve been a lot more if we took our chances and made better connections in the circle,” he said.
Lindum Hockey welcome Sheffield Hockey on Saturday evening as they look to retain their unbeaten record and top spot in the England Hockey Conference North.
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