We played well on Wednesday and deserved the 4-4 tie against the Devils in the first leg of the Challenge Cup semi final.

The boys worked hard and committed everything in that small rink down there.

A small rink really means that the game is more physical. There is no hiding place, it's more mental than anything else, you know that you are going to have to pay the price in the corners, if you're not prepared to get into a corner first and take a hit then you will lose the game, it is as simple as that.

Knowing I was writing this I made a few notes on the bus last night.

I wrote: "Hannah, our physio, has walked up and down this bus a hundred times, with ice packs, with towels and with bandages.Steve Munn has a pack on his knee and one on his neck, Rod Sarich has two as well.

"I have just had a rub down on the bus, I'm sure its not like this at Manchester United!"

I'm proud of this team for that reason, these guys to put their bodies on the line at all times, we did pay the price at Cardiff, took the bumps and bruises and earned a 4-4 draw that gives us a great chance to make the final. The second leg next Wednesday at iceSheffield will be no different.

Now, we must forget the Challenge Cup game next Wednes day as we're back in league action tomorrow in Hull and at last back at the Sheffield Arena on Sunday to play Belfast.

Hull are a strange team, on paper they have enough to give us a real go but we seem to have there number in recent games.

Corney (Jeremy Cornish) terrorised them a couple of weeks ago, they didn't want to come out of the dressing room. We must go in there on Saturday and right off the bat jump all over them.

Sean Sutter comes back on Sunday with Belfast as does Shane Johnson, both played on our team last year, two great guys and solid players.

I ache, and I am one of the younger guys. I like to think I am one of the fittest players in the league so I hate to think how Steve Munn and Jody Lehman feel.

I hope I have the same enthusiasm for the game that those two guys have when I am their age. They both live for it, they love the competition, I am sure they actually love the pain as well.

They are old school: would they sit a game out because of injury? Don't be daft!

I love that in my team mates it drives me on, it inspires me, I glad they are on my team. You spend your winter with 16 other guys either on a bus or in a dressing room, you are a family and you develop a strong bond with them all.

I was with them from 9.30am on Wednesday until 2.30am on Thursday, you would think I would enjoy a day off from them all, but I can't wait to get to the rink, that in itself shows what a good group we have here. I'm a lucky man to captain them.