PANTHERS have refused to write off their fading Elite League title hopes at the start of their most demanding run of the season.
The city side launch a sequence of five meetings in the space of seven days when travelling to table-topping Wolverhampton tonight.
Panthers go to Monmore Green on an unlikely revenge mission after being toppled 49-41 by the Midlands men at the Sh
owground on Thursday. That was the latest in a run of three straight defeats that have seen them tumble out of the play-off zone.
But Wayne Swales – who shares team management duties with father, Trevor – is adamant Panthers will arrest their slump.
He said: "I don't think we can say we have kissed goodbye to our dream of winning the title at this stage of the season, but it is blatantly obvious we need to perform better than we have of late.
"There is no way we should be losing home meetings and there is no way you are going to be in contention to win titles when not getting the results on your own track.
"As much as we had our problems and didn't perform to our best on Thursday, we can take nothing away from Wolverhampton who were superb.
"We wanted a confidence-boosting meeting to get ourselves back on track after losing twice away at Swindon and Lakeside, but it didn't turn out like that.
"Now we need to completely forget about the last three defeats and go into the return at Wolverhampton with the right attitude and put up a much better showing."
THE NEXT FEW DAYSToday: Wolverhampton (ELA)A
Thursday: Eastbourne (ELB)H
Friday: Coventry (ELB)A
Saturday: Eastbourne (ELB)A
Monday: Ipswich (ELB)H
