D-MAN Stevie Whitfield hopes a roster filled with quality can enable Swindon Wildcats to finish with a trophy to their name this season.

Aaron Nell’s side have started the 2017-18 campaign in some style, winning 11 of the 13 matches they have played and have only been beaten in overtime in the other two.

As well as vying for league honours in NIHL South One, the Cats are fighting on three fronts in total as they are also contesting the NIHL Cup and Autumn Trophy.

They have already earned a place in the semi-finals of the latter and Whitfield, who has spent his whole career with the Cats, hopes that early success is a sign of things to come.

“With a few different competitions, there is an opportunity to win silverware and that’s what we want to do,” said 27-year-old Whitfield.

“We have got a good mix of players and we have got real depth. The change in league structure has helped us as we can focus on having a deeper squad rather than a high-end top line.

“I think we are looking a lot better this season and hopefully we are ready to win something.”

Swindon’s current focus is the NIHL Cup as they overcame Telford Tigers on home ice on Wednesday night and now welcome Bracknell Bees to the Link Centre on Saturday.

The Cats are currently sitting pretty at the top of Group D after claiming three wins from three matches in the competition so far.

However, having been pitted in the same pool as former English Premier League rivals Telford, Bracknell and Basingstoke Bison, Whitfield knows qualification to the latter stages is still far from a formality.

“It’s just a case of keeping the momentum going,” said Whitfield.

“It is not about focussing on which competition you are in, you just need to keep your form going into every game, try to keep winning and pile on as many points as possible.

“I think we are going to have to target nine points to get out of this group so the home games are going to be massive. So far we are doing OK but we have got to make sure we win all of our home games.

“This game coming up against Bracknell is going to be massive because after that, we have a couple of away games.”

After battling Bracknell, Swindon resume their league programme on Sunday with a trip to south London to take on Streatham and Whitfield believes the team are still striving to reach top form.

“I wouldn’t say we are not at our best but we have got a whole extra level that we are not getting to yet,” said Whitfield.

“The win on Wednesday night against Telford was on par with our best so far but we definitely feel like we have more to give so we are working towards that.”