Manchester Phoenix coach Tony Hand has called for next weekend's Knockout Cup Final to be 'payback' time after their Challenge Cup defeat to Belfast Giants.

Phoenix went down 6-5 on aggregate last Tuesday night thanks to Mike Burgoyne's late winning goal.

The teams now meet again in the British Knockout Cup final, the first leg of which is in Altrincham on Sunday.

Hand said: "It hurts to lose this cup final but we start again on Sunday and hopefully it will be payback time."

He added: "We are very disappointed because the guys worked so hard and, after six periods of hockey, there was only one goal in it.

"We levelled the tie but, unfortunately, they got the breakaway goal at the end. "

Before Sunday's cup final first leg, Phoenix are back in Elite League action on Thursday night (19 March, 1915 GMT) when Hull Stingrays travel to Altrincham.

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