Hull Seahawks v Sheffield Steeldogs - Matty Davies changes up as derby rivals battle to find winning formula

Having seen his Hull Seahawks team get their festive schedule off to such a positive start with a deserved 4-2 victory at Leeds Knights on December 22, form has taken an alarming downturn.

It says plenty about the positive campaign that Hull have enjoyed so far in only their second year, that the four-game losing streak they carry into tonight’s Yorkshire derby at home to Sheffield Steeldogs is their worst run of form in 2023-24.

Leeds quickly exacted revenge in Hull just 24 hours after being beaten in front of their own fans before the passing of Christmas brought even more misery for their Yorkshire rivals.

Leading 4-2 with less than 90 seconds to go at Solway Sharks on December 27, it looked like the Seahawks would quickly rebound with two valuable points.

But two goals in a minute for the home team saw the game head into overtime where Solway emerged 5-4 winners.

Two nights later, brought an instantly forgettable trip to Swindon Wildcats which saw Hull beaten 8-3 - their heaviest loss of the season - and head coach Davies subsequently handed a two-game ban from the bench for remonstrating with an official.

That led to him missing Sunday’s 4-3 home defeat to bogey side Solway as well as tonight’s Yorkshire derby, when Chris Wilcox will again deputise on the bench.

As a result of their form, the Seahawks have dropped to fifth in the standings and are 15 points adrift of the top two of Leeds and Milton Keynes Lightning.

For now, third-placed Peterborough Phantoms and Swindon - now fourth - are the immediate targets, with Davies insisting that personnel changes will be made in a bid to stop the slump.

“We’ve talked a lot about this over the past week, about where we are and what this team is about and it gets to a point where you can’t really say much any more,” said Davies.

“They know what I want. It’s not that they aren’t trying but there’s a difference between trying and really trying to implement what I want.

“I know that the lads are tired and they’ve been through a lot of games lately - but so has everyone else. It’s just part of being in this league, you’ve just got to get through it.

“I’ll be honest, it’s down to the lads to find it and they need to find it quick because I’m not going to sit here and just accept us losing games, losing at home, I’m not going to accept it and if changes need to be made they will be.”

Those changes have begun, yesterday seeing forward Lee Pollitt leave by mutual consent before it was announced that former Knights defenceman Josh Hodgkinson would be joining from Whitley Warriors.

The 22-year-old left-hander will make his debut against Bees IHC on January 20.

The Seahawks come up against a Steeldogs team who themselves are in need of form.

The bounce felt in the immediate aftermath of Stevie Weekes’ appointment to replace Jason Hewitt as coach in the form of a 5-4 comeback win against Telford Tigers was quickly overshadowed by heavy back-to-back defeats against Leeds at the weekend, the second a 9-3 loss in front of their own fans.

Combined with a New Year’s Eve win for Bees against Bristol Pitbulls, it has left the Steeldogs ninth in the standings and outside the play-off positions for the first time this season.