It's crunch time for Peterborough Phantoms in the race for top spot

​The city side have 10 regular season matches left in which to overhaul top two Leeds Knights and MK Lightning.

It’s a tall order as Phantoms are six points adrift of leaders Leeds, who have played one fewer game, and two points behind second-placed MK, who also have 10 matches to go.

The next three fixtures will be vital for Slava Koulikov’s men as they follow a tough trip to fifth-placed Swindon Wildcats on Saturday with a home game against Leeds on Sunday (5.30pm face-off).

And then it’s a trip to MK on Saturday (March 11).

Phantoms other fixtures are Bristol (home, March 12), Raiders (away, March 18), Sheffield (home, March 19), Sheffield (away, March 25), Telford (home, March 26), Bristol (away, April 1) and Hull (home, April 2) before the end of season play-offs start.

Phantoms perhaps have a more realistic chance of winning the National League Cup.

They have a two-legged final against Leeds – a team they have beaten home and away this season – with the home game at Planet Ice on Friday, March 17 followed by the away game on Friday, March 24.

Any fan buying a ticket for the home tie will get 20% of the ticket price for the home league game with Sheffield two days later.