8:33pm Friday 15th January 2010
By Nigel McFarlane
MANCHESTER Phoenix face a crucial double header against on form Guildford Flames this weekend.
Currently lying third in the English Premier League, two points behind leaders Milton Keynes and one ahead of the Flames, any slip ups could dent Phoenix' title aspirations.
But the Flames come into the weekend on the back of a run of eight victories – their last defeat coming in a 5-1 loss to Manchester back in December.
They have also notched up 52 goals since that loss, with Martin Masa, Lukas Smital and Rob Lamey proving to be the lynchpins in their attack.
Phoenix will need to stop this 127 point line and hope their attack continues to improve.
Ed Courtenay has 33-goals for Manchester this year, with linemates Tony Hand adding 14 and Adam Walker 24 but secondary scoring has proven difficult.
Hand has switched his second and third lines around in the past few weeks to find the right combinations but will be encouraged by the form of GB u20 internationals Robert Lachowicz and Iain Bowie who have notched up 16 between them.
Manchester travel to Guildford on Saturday (6pm) before hosting them a day later (5.30pm).
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