CAPTAIN Shane Moore says there isn’t a player in the Swindon Wildcats line-up that isn’t looking forward to some hard-earned rest and relaxation over the festive period.

Wildcats will tomorrow play their final game before Christmas when Basingstoke visit the Link Centre, with their next competitive action coming against the Bison on December 28.

That two-week period will allow Swindon’s weary players to put their feet up while also shaking off any knocks and niggles that are troubling them.

Skipper Moore did not ice in the third period in the 2-1 victory at Sheffield on Sunday night and is doubtful to return tomorrow, and he admitted that the upcoming break was most welcome.

“It’s pretty much the halfway point of the season so it’s nice to be able to stop for a few weeks and let guys rest and relax,” he said.

“I think every player in the team and the whole league will tell you that it’s well-needed to have a little rest midway through the season.

“With guys playing two games a weekend, practising twice a week and going to the gym all the time, they are bound to get little knocks, and little knocks can turn into major injuries if you let them carry on.

“So it’s nice to have a bit of a break to let those injuries ease off.”

Wildcats currently sit eighth in the EPL standings having made a positive start to the campaign, before losing form in November and December.

Ryan Aldridge’s side have had plenty of ins and outs already with Jan Kostal and Ryan Watt among those arriving in Wiltshire, while Juha Silvander was swiftly axed.

However, Moore feels that his team are now settling down and can build momentum going into the play-offs at the end of March.

“It’s been a mixed bag, but we’ve had a few changes as well so it’s not the team we started the season with,” he said.

“We’ve had different guys coming into the team and it has made it a bit like, ‘who are we playing with tonight?’ “But I think we now have a settled team and what will be, will be. If there’s player changes needed, there will be player changes, but for now this is our team and everyone seems to be settling into their roles.

“I think we’re finally coming to a point where everyone’s comfortable with each other and we’ve got a good core of players that are gelling together, so hopefully we can take it into the new year and really have a good run going into play-offs.”

The NIHL Wildcats also have one fixture this weekend as they take on Bristol in the NIHL Cup at the Link Centre on Sunday.

Currently sitting third in the South 2A cup table, the NIHL Wildcats are two points behind the Pitbulls in the standings having played two more games.