SLOUGH Jets head coach Lukas Smital believes the 18-4 win against Lee Valley Lions on Saturday will be good for their confidence.

The Jets stormed into a clear lead in the first period at the Slough Ice Arena thanks to a Sean Norris brace and a goal from Smital.

Norris scored again to complete his hat-trick seconds into the middle period, before the Lions pulled a goal back through Joseph Berry.

Slough further extended their advantage with a Samuel Talbot brace plus goals from Timo Lindgren and Smital.

The visitors stuck to their task and reduced the deficit when Berry and Tomas Hnilica found the back of the net.

However, the Jets led 10-3 at the second buzzer thanks to goals from Ryan Handisides and Liam Underdown.

Hnilica scored his second of the match just over two minutes into the final period, but that was as good as it got for Lee Valley Lions.

Slough finished the match strong with three goals from Talbot, two from Smital and further strikes from Daniel Rose, Benjamin Eastwood and Harry Harcup.

Smital told the Observer: “It was a good win for us and good for the confidence so we can’t be upset.

“Lee Valley aren’t the strongest team in my honest view but we played okay offensively.

“It was pretty much one-way traffic but, no matter what the score, Lee Valley never quit and kept on going. From a professional perspective, they kept on going all the way to the end and didn’t turn it into an easy match.

“Sometimes in games like this bad habits come in and you can get away with it, but we played better than I expected, especially in the late stages when the game was already won.”

The win means Slough have moved up to ninth position in the league table ahead of a trip to Cardiff Fire this Sunday (6pm).

Smital commented: “I expect a tough game because it’s a big rink and Cardiff will go hard at us. We’ve just got to pick up where we left off last weekend.

“We’re growing as a team and hopefully can come away with the points.”

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