MATTY DAVIES has been waiting a long time to lock horns with Sheffield Steeldogs in Hull colours again - his only regret is that he will go into the derby clash severely under-strength.

Davies’s Hull Seahawks would love nothing more than to end their wait for a first-ever NIHL National win this weekend, but they are under no illusions as to the size of the task ahead of them.

First comes tonight’s trip to Raiders, a week after Mark Easton’s team walked out of Hull Ice Arena with both points courtesy of a 6-2 win.

Tomorrow brings a first league visit of the season to East Yorkshire for the Steeldogs, who built up a fierce rivalry ahead of the pandemic with the Hull Pirates, for who centre Davies was a leading figure.

WE'LL MEET AGAIN: Jonathan Kirk battles with former Sheffield Steeldogs' team-mate Nathan Salem during the pre-season challenge game at Ice Sheffield. Picture courtesy of Peter Best/Steeldogs Media

There was no love lost over four seasons between the two sides and Seahawks’ player-coach Davies is keen for that hostility to continue.

But while there may be light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the arrival of import forwards Andrej Themár and Emil Svec - it is hoped they will be here before the end of the month - it will be too late to take part in Hull’s first Yorkshire derby of the NIHL National campaign.

“It was us or them to win the league for a couple of years and there’s always been that hatred in these Steeldogs games, they don’t like us and we don’t like them,” said Davies, who hopes to be

“It became a really good rivalry, really quickly. You obviously wish you were going in to these games with your best team, but if any game will get the lads fired up it’s this one.”

TOUGH WEEKEND: Leeds Knights head coach, Ryan Aldridge. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Before Greg Wood’s Steeldogs head east tomorrow (face-off 5.30pm), they welcome Bees to Ice Sheffield tonight (7.30pm).

Ryan Aldridge believes Leeds Knights will face their toughest test of the season so far in their double-header weekend against Basingstoke Bison.

Ashley Tait’s team have won five from six, leaving them fourth, four points adrift of joint-leaders Knights, who along with Milton Keynes Lightning have won their first seven games.

The Knights make a 450-mile round trip to Basingstoke tonight before playing host to the Bison tomorrow (6.30pm) and Aldridge says the double-header represents a tough challenge for his players.

“It will be a big test for us and Saturday, in their rink, will be the biggest test of the year for us, how we handle it mentally,” said Aldridge.

“Then we’ve got another long trip back before playing them on Sunday. It’s a tough weekend in so many different ways.”

Hull Seahawks fired up for Sheffield Steeldogs derby battle as Leeds Knights face 'toughest test' yet