THE biggest weekend of the season so far is the way Basingstoke Bison player/coach Doug Sheppard sums up his side’s road trips to Milton Keynes and Swindon.

The Herd will lock horns with the Milton Keynes Lightning for the first time this season on Saturday night (7pm face-off) and then on Sunday they travel to the Swindon Wildcats (6pm).

Both games will count towards the English Premier League and the English Challenge Cup and with the Bison having already lost in Bracknell and dropped a point at home to Guildford, they have to make sure they take four points from the weekend to keep themselves in contention for a top-two place in the group and a semi-final spot.

Bison’s influential import, defence-man Miroslav Vantroba, has had his match penalty in Sunday night’s win at Sheffield downgraded to a game penalty and therefore is able to play in both games this coming weekend.

It is a great boost for the Herd as they are still likely to be minus British blue liner Matt Selby.

The Herd come into the game on the back of a four-point weekend after victories over Manchester and Sheffield.

This is in stark contrast to both MK and Swindon, who have yet to hit the form expected of them.

Looking ahead to the matches, Sheppard said: “It is big weekend for us as both games count towards the cup and league.

“I was pleased with the way we played last weekend. We got back to showing that if we work hard we win and when we do not we lose, which was proved in Bracknell.

“We have to make sure we carry on the same way this coming weekend.”