Dumas looking up after vital Wildcats win

Published 25 Feb 2010 13:00 0 Comments

BRACKNELL Bees player-coach Claude Dumas is convinced their bid to qualify for the EPL play-offs is now "in their own hands" as they prepare for this weekend's double-header against Peterborough Phantoms.

Bees took a huge step towards clinching the final play-off spot with a sensational 6-3 win over nearest rivals Swindon Wildcats at the Hive on Sunday.

Bees, sitting eighth, knew that a defeat would reignite ninth-placed Swindon's charge while victory would all but extinguish the Wildcats' hopes.

And Dumas' men delivered in style, fighting back from 2-0 down on the night to slam in five unanswered goals in a stunning second period.

The win means Bracknell are now five points ahead of Swindon and in pole position to qualify.

But Dumas refuses to settle for eighth, and already has his sights set on chipping away at the eight points separating them from Sheffield Scimitars above.

Dumas told The Bracknell News: "It was a must-win game for us, a real four-pointer.

"We knew the result would make a big difference to us or Swindon so it was a great feeling to get the victory.

"It's in our own hands now. If we keep winning we will be difficult to catch.

"We still want to finish above Sheffield. We know that realistically it will be hard and it will depend on us winning all the time and Sheffield losing games.

"But we have to try, that has to be our aim and the higher you set your sights the more you achieve.

"Saying that I don't want to look too far ahead because in sport you learn things can change so quickly with injuries and suspensions.

"Things can easily go wrong so for me we have Peterborough this weekend and that's all I'm looking at for now."

And Dumas insists his squad will not be easing up: "We're in a good position for the play-offs but we've still got a lot of work to do over the next 10 games," he stressed.

"I'm sure Swindon would trade places with us at this stage but we're not there yet."

Bees' preparations for the Swindon clash did not go to plan following defeats to Basingstoke Bison and Guildford Flames in the days running up the must-win game.

But they quickly recovered from those setbacks to beat the Wildcats and Dumas is appealing for more of the same this weekend.

Bees travel to sixth-placed Peterborough this Saturday night (7pm f/o) before hosting the Phantoms in the return fixture at the Hive on Sunday (6pm f/o).

Dumas declared: "We would love one win from this weekend but Peterborough are a very unpredictable side.

"On their day they are the best team in the league, but they can also give goals away.

"The last time we went there we lost 11-2 so we'll be looking to put that right.

"It was a bad, bad day for us because we just couldn't stop giving them goals.

"So our plan is to be solid in the first period and to keep it tight then see how it goes from there.

"We know we can beat anyone at home and if we get our gameplan right we believe we can win."

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