VETERAN netminder Stevie Lyle says he is happy to play a supporting role at the World Championships after the Swindon Wildcats star’s place in the Great Britain squad for next week’s competition was confirmed.

The 36-year-old is one of three goalkeepers in the 23-man GB squad for the week-long Division 1B tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, which gets under way on Sunday.

Pete Russell’s side begin their campaign against the host nation on the opening day and also face Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Ukraine.

Lyle’s selection comes after he helped Great Britain to a 3-2 overtime win against Poland in the second of two warm-up matches in Coventry on Sunday night.

Welshman Lyle became the first GB netminder to win 75 caps at a pre-Olympics qualifying event earlier in February and is delighted to still be involved in the camp, although concedes he is likely to play back-up to Ben Bowns in Croatia.

“I just keep coming back. It’s nice to still be involved in the programme at my age,” Lyle told the Adver.

“I played the game on Sunday night and we were lucky enough to win and I’m looking forward to getting out there now.

“It’s great to see the guys doing well in the warm-up games and I’m looking forward to going away with them again – and going somewhere new as well.

“Ben has done well for Cardiff and he will play the majority of games. He’s also played a lot of games this season and there’s five games in seven days here, so I’m sure I will get a chance too.

“I played a few games in the same tournament last year and I think I will again this year but Ben will play the tougher games.”

Lyle was only drafted back into the GB squad for their Poland warm-up games a week ago following an injury to first-choice stopper Stephen Murphy, having originally been left out of Russell’s 28-man party for the two fixtures.

He would have likely still made the cut for the World Championship squad but Murphy’s absence means Lyle will be the number two keeper behind Bowns, with Thomas Murdy now the third choice.

“I think I would have been going as third-choice goalie,” said Lyle.

“I’m still excited to be involved and to go out there but it’s important that the other British goalies keep coming through.”