DEFENCEMAN Neil Liddiard insists motivation levels in the Swindon Wildcats locker room remain high ahead of the club’s NIHL Cup final against Sheffield Steeldogs next week.

Last month, the Cats crashed out of the NIHL play-offs at the semi-final stage against Peterborough Phantoms in heartbreaking circumstances after the club’s 4-2 win at home in the first leg was reversed to a 5-0 loss.

The change in score occurred after the Cats registered teenager Joshua Francis Kelly as a player for the first leg.

While Kelly did not play any minutes, his presence on the team bench was not permitted as he had played less than 25 per cent of games during the regular season.

It meant that although Cats won both legs of their semi-final - having triumphed 6-4 at Peterborough - they suffered a 9-6 aggregate loss.

But Liddiard wants to see Swindon round off a successful year in style by defeating Sheffield over two legs in the NIHL Cup final, the first of which takes place on the road next Wednesday.

He said: “We played unbelievably well in the Autumn Cup, we want to repeat that performance and do it again.

“Personally, I would’ve liked us to have a chance at winning all four cups, and I think we were in a position where that could’ve happened.

“But it wasn’t meant to be.

“We haven’t seen Sheffield all year, but they won’t change the way they play.

“They’re a physical and hard-working team. We’ll rest this week and come back fighting the week after.

“Motivation isn’t an issue after what happened at Peterborough.”

While Liddiard was keen to look forward, he couldn’t hide his frustration at being denied a chance to play at finals weekend in Coventry in such controversial circumstances.

He said: “The score says we were the better team over the two games. Our performance says that as well.

“We were in shock before the game because of what was going on. But we used our anger in our performance and performed well.

“There’s no negativity in the locker room, we’re all focussed on our next cup final.

“No one could ask for more from any player. We left everything we had on the ice.

“It was a big ask, but we did everything we could. It just wasn’t meant to be.”