A FULL house of silverware will be the reward this weekend if the Basingstoke Buffalo can stampede to victory.

Only the Altrincham Aces stand between them and the last trophy of the season - the English National League Play-Off crown.

If the Buffalo are successful, they will make history as the first-ever team from the south to win the two-legged final.

The opening game in this season's final is tomorrow in Blackburn, with the final in Basingstoke on Sunday where a bumper crowd is expected at the Planet Ice Arena.

Victory would be a fitting end to a great season for the Gowrings, Datasharp, Safeway and Wella-backed side, who wrapped up their third consecutive league title in December, before winning the south play-off group with a 100 per cent record.

They are driving hard to go one better than last season and capture the play-off crown, which they missed out on in the final to the all-conquering Whitley Warriors.

On route to that final, the Buffalo beat Altrincham in the semi 22-9 on aggregate with the second-leg an all-action affair in Basingstoke which saw Altrincham rack up 158 minutes in penalties.

The Aces have a number of new faces in their line-up, but their top goalscorers have still amassed more than 300 minutes in penalties this season, so the Buffalo are expecting a battle royal.

Buffalo coach Ed Campbell said: "We set out at the start of the season to win the league and play-offs.

"We are now two games away from that dream and everyone is pumped up and ready to go."

He added: "We know it is going to be tough as no team from the south has ever won this. It is about time we put that right!"

The Buffalo have only utility player Ian Parsons unavailable from their line-up so this means the Aces will have to face the southern hot shots' awesome three lines of forwards at full strength.

Campbell said: "This season I have had three good scoring lines which means even if the opposition stop our top line, we will still hit the net. We have a solid defence backed by some excellent goal tending."

The first leg tomorrow is being played at Blackburn because the Altrincham rink was closed last month. This should help the Buffalo as the ice surface is the same as at Basing-stoke.

Campbell said: "We will be looking to use our speed and play our normal entertaining game. We expect them to play a much tougher physical style, as all northern teams do, but we will be ready for that."

Admission for Sunday's clash of the titans game is adults £2 and children £1. Face-off is 6.30pm.

* Make sure you get your next Gazette - out on Tuesday, May 6, because of the bank holiday - for a report and pictures from the Buffalo's bid for glory.