Raiders player-coach Danny Marshall is all smiles after victory in Chelmsford

Marshall: Lots more hockey to be played

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Romford Raiders player-coach Danny Marshall is not celebrating yet, despite a crucial win at ENL title rivals Chelmsford last weekend.

The 5-2 derby win took Raiders four points clear at the top of the table, although Chieftains have a game in hand.

But with nine matches still to play, including some tricky tests, Marshall remains on his guard.

He said: “I don’t like to crack the champagne too early. There’s a lot of hockey still to play.

“I think both teams had it in their heads that whoever won on the night will most likely win the league.

“It would’ve been nice to win in our own rink, but they’re a good team. We’ve got to turn up and play our game, if we do, we can beat anyone.

“We’ve got nine games to go. We’ve got to go to the Isle of Wight, we’ve got a couple of trips to Cardiff and Invicta at home. And there are five other games we can’t take for granted.

“We’re in the best position at the moment and it’s all there for the taking for us.

“I would be delighted to win the league, then we can focus on the play-offs.”

Raiders had a point to prove against their Essex neighbours, having surrendered top spot with a 4-1 home defeat the previous weekend.

And Marshall revealed his side had worked hard in practice during the week to make sure they performed better on the night.

He added: “The boys were bitter last weekend and so was I.

“We knew why we lost, we knew the reasons and needed to focus on our discipline. They wind us up and the retaliation penalties are the ones which get called most of the time, not the initial ones.

“I told the boys to get their heads down, take the stick and worry about the game and scoring goals and we got the job done.

“We prepared hard all week, working on a few things, and changed a few strategies and it worked in our favour.

“We had a little change with the lines and they paid off. We changed the powerplay a bit and worked on it at practice.

“We were focused and all the boys played great.”

Young defenceman Billy Phillips certainly impressed with a calmer approach on the blue line and Marshall added: “Billy kept his discipline. He knows people will wind him up and he can be a target, but the best part of his game is being focused.

“I don’t like to pick out individuals. They all turned up.

“We started well and they only really had a spell in the third period, but we weathered the storm and we deserved it.

“We could’ve beaten them by a better scoreline. I wanted to keep going at them. They had to push and it opened up some chances for us.”

Marshall’s men play just once this weekend, the first leg of their Raiders Challenge against the Isle of Wight at Rom Valley Way tomorrow (Sunday, 5.15pm).

And with a potentially difficult trip to Ryde to follow next month (February 11), Marshall wants to be ready.

He said: “It’s nice to have Saturday off. It’s well deserved.

“We’ve beaten the Isle of Wight every time we’ve played them this season, but they won the Raiders Cup last year and it would be nice to take it off them.

“It’s only a challenge but it’s a piece of silverware and is a lead-up to the league game in their rink.

“They will want to beat us. Chelmsford are banking on us slipping us but I’m not prepared to let that happen.

“We’ve had a busy schedule and there are a few injuries floating about. They’re nothing too serious and the boys have carried on playing.

Every game, we’ve got to keep our focus and discipline and go out and play the best hockey we can. If we can keep our focus, we can do it.”