Peterborough Phantoms on a punishment that did not fit the crime, plus mixed weekend results

​But Phantoms officials believe the punishment did not fit the crime. They protested to DOPS – the Department of Player Safety – who control the National League's disciplinary process, but that independent body declined to alter their original verdict.

Phantoms issued a statement which read: ‘We are disappointed in the outcome and subsequent tariff applied. We felt the decision seemed potentially disproportionate.

"Duncan received a serious injury as a result of the incident and our concern has always been for the ongoing welfare, safety and protection of our players and those within our sport.

"We continue to support Duncan with his recovery and will help him on his long journey back to fitness.”

Speirs has undergone an operation to repair three bone fractures in his leg and will have further surgery in the summer. There is a ‘GoFundMe’ page set up for the player which has raised close to £4,500.

Venus received a four-game ban for ‘boarding, reckless and dangerous hit, player not aware of the hit and in a vulnerable position’, plus two games for surpassing +10 penalty points threshold.

It was a mixed penultimate week of National League action for Phantoms who followed a terrific 8-4 win at Hull Seahawks on Saturday with a disappointing 6-3 home defeat at the hands of Raiders on Sunday.

The city side have now lost six of their last eight league games with the play-offs less than two weeks away.

Phantoms finish their regular season this weekend with a trip to Bees on Saturday and a home game against Swindon Wildcats at Planet Ice on Sunday (5.30pm).

Luke Ferrara scored twice against the Raiders which included his 100th point of the season. Austin-Mitchell King also netted.

Ivan Björkly Nordström bagged a hat-trick in Hull as Phantoms scored four unanswered goals in the final period. Ralfs Circenis, Ferrera, Lukas Sladkovsky, Jasper Foster and Will Weldon also scored.