Owen Sobchak plays the lead role for Leeds Knights in nine-goal romp

The 33-year-old Canadian was in electric form as the Knights bounced back positively from a disappointing opening weekend which brought 2-1 defeats to both Hull Seahawks and Milton Keynes Lightning.

The game was effectively over before the halfway mark as the Knights raced into an exhilarating 7-1 lead, one that was stretched to 9-1 before the Phantoms grabbed a late consolation.

The two teams were set for a return date in Peterborough on Sunday night but, regardless of that result, there was plenty to savour from the Knights’ second home game of the season.

Captain Kieran Brown also got up and running for the season with two goals and an assist, with new import forward Cullen McLean also making his presence felt with a four-point night that included two goals.

Oli Endicott was the other goalscorer - his effort sandwiched between efforts from Brown and McLean in a frantic 90-second spell in the second period from which the Phantoms - who won 6-4 at defending regular season league champions Swindon Wildcats on opening night - simply never recovered.

Understandably, head coach Ryan Aldridge was happy after 60 minutes, but felt a performance was due given how his players had performed in practice all week.

“We needed that, we needed a performance,” said Aldridge, who was without forwards Finn Bradon, Innes Gallacher and Danny Harrison as well as defencemen Sam Cooper and Jordan Griffin through a combination of injury and illness.

“The boys have been really good in practice all week. I thought they were like their old selves (against Peterborough), they were relentless in all areas.

“We haven’t had a good start - even pre-season. I think we just needed to find what we’re about and find our identity again.

“We know what we want to be and I thought (against Peterborough) we were that. They were awesome.”