THE biggest game of the season is the way Basingstoke Bison head coach Doug Sheppard is billing his side’s clash with title rivals the Peterborough Phantoms.

The Cambridgeshire outfit will travel to Hampshire on Saturday (6.30pm) desperate to close the gap on the table topping Herd.

The Bison currently head the English Premier League table by five points from the Milton Keynes, who have played two games more and they are six points clear of the Phantoms who have a game in hand.

The contest is even more significant as it is the final league meeting between these sides and victory for either of them will see them win the series.

This could become important, should the sides finish level on points at the top at the end of the season, as the series winners will be crowned champions.

The Phantoms won the first three games against the Herd, including being the first team to win in Basingstoke this season.

Since then the Bison have won the next two games played over the first weekend of January.

Last weekend, the Herd extended their lead at the top after victories over Bracknell and Manchester.

There is sure to be another bumper crowd to witness this big clash between two of tbe top sides in the EPL.

The Bison will be without British forward Ryan Sutton as he is set to miss another weekend due to injury.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s big clash Sheppard said : “it is the biggest game of the season and I am sure the guys will be up for it.

"They were in a bit of a rut when we played the last time, but they are now hitting form, so it is going a really good contest between two very evenly matched teams.”

On Sunday night the Bison complete their weekend with a trip to face the Sheffield Steeldogs.

Sheppard said: “Sheffield have beaten us in the last two games we have played against them. So it is important we find a way to beat them again."

"Once we have played on Saturday, we then really focus on what will be another tough game.”