STEVIE Lyle is expecting the toughest weekend of his fledgling tenure as Swindon Wildcats chief when they tackle Manchester Phoenix and Guildford Flames.

Phoenix are just one of two sides to win three of their opening four fixtures and travel to the Link Centre tonight (face-off 5.45pm) before the Cats go on the road to take on a Flames team who have matched their own 50 per cent win ratio tomorrow (6pm).

Player/coach Lyle says the fact that no team is still unbeaten just a fortnight into the new English Premier League shows just how hard fought each fixture will be.

“This will be are toughest weekend to date – they are two really good teams,” said netminder Lyle.

“It’s Manchester first and that’s all our focus is on right now. They are a good skating team, Tony (Hand) has done a good job there.

“They lost for the first time last weekend but that’s because they were missing their top guy in (Stanislav) Gron. Hopefully he is missing again this weekend but if not we will have to cope with that.

“They have had a great start. They kept the majority of last season’s squad together, which is what most teams did. We just opted to change a few things because it is my first year and I just wanted to have a different set up.

“The season is only four games old but there isn’t one team that has won four games. I think it’s going to be like that this year, we’ve seen already that everyone is capable of beating everyone.

“There isn’t going to be one runaway team. Even someone like Telford have lost their two home games.

“Every coach is looking for that perfect four-point weekend but I think it’s going to be tough to do it this season.”

Lyle concedes that his new-look side have still not totally clicked but he hopes the fact he can call on a full-strength squad for the first time this term will make a difference.

Forward Adam Harding is available having missed the opening four league fixtures with a shoulder injury.

“I still think it’s a process. We are about 80 per cent of where we should be,” said Lyle. “There were eight or nine new guys this season and even though we had a few more warm-up games it still takes a bit of time.”

“Adam has been back skating for the last two weeks but I didn’t want to throw him back in as if he had a setback it could be another six weeks out.

“Touch wood we will have a fully-fit squad to pick from.”