IPSWICH Tomcats head coach Nick Drane has come out fighting ahead of Saturday's second round play-off match against Sheffield Sharks, after comments the Sharks made on their website.

IPSWICH Tomcats head coach Nick Drane has come out fighting ahead of Saturday's second round play-off match against Sheffield Sharks, after comments the Sharks made on their website.

The Tomcats, who one of only two Conference sides to progress from the first round of the play-offs, take on narrow Premier North champions Sheffield in a match of David and Goliath proportions. However, comments on the junior Sheffield Sharks website have riled Drane.

Following Sheffield's 106-45 first round victory over Conference side Durham Wildcats last week, the internet match report said: “Durham Wildcats are a Conference team that won its competition narrowly, so for Sharks to lose this game would be the equivalent of a 33-1 shot winning the Grand National. Two such upsets in a weekend were not about to happen.”

Drane said: “I will probably print off those comments and take them to training with me. The boys don't need motivating, but they do need firing up now and again.

“We are in the last 16 of the play-offs now, it is business time and if that means we have got to be a little bit more cut-throat than that's what we will do. The first time they go to the basket we have to be aggressive and let them know that it is not going to be easy for them and that we will not lie down.

“I am very aware we are going there as huge underdogs - this match is the equivalent of Colchester or Ipswich Football Club going to play at Chelsea or Manchester United because Sheffield are one of the most established programmes in the country - however, judging by what has been said on their website, they may be going into this one a little bit blasé.

“I would hazard a guess that we are the most improved side in the country this year and we will be going there to give it our all.”