Everyone Active Raiders defenceman Ross Connolly knows they must make home rink a fortress to achieve their targets in the National League this season.

Sean Easton's side picked up a huge 7-1 victory over Bracknell Bees at the Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre on Sunday on the back of a 5-4 loss away the night before.

And the new signing believes they should now be ready to go after building up their fitness in the two pre-season encounters.

"I think it's going to be important to win the majority of our home games to make play-offs this year considering how tight the league will be.

"I think it helped a lot of the boys back into the swing of things."

The former Whitley Bay man felt they were unlucky to come away with a defeat from the John Nike Leisure Centre but felt the physicality they brought Sunday was important.

"I felt we were a bit unlucky on Saturday not to have got something from it with some of the chances we had.

"We had a shaky start but we were always going to be like that with them playing the week before against Swindon."

He added: "The game on Sunday was a really good game on our part; we played physical and took our chances which I think will play a big part in our home success this year."