Swindon stung by the Bees as miserable run goes on
6:00am Monday 18th March 2013 in Sport By Ned Payne
Paul Swindlehurst in action against the Bees
SWINDON were once again frustrated by Bracknell as they suffered defeat at the Link Centre on Saturday.
Ryan Aldridge’s men might be above the Bees in the EPL table but they have been beaten by the Berkshire side six times out of six in 2012/13, losing 3-2 on this occasion.
Martin Masa’s sizzling one-timer on the powerplay got the visitors off and running at 8.41 and that was how it stayed until early in the second period.
Wildcats skipper Aaron Nell levelled when he sent home a wristshot past Tom Annetts at 26.22, the assists coming from Ollie Betteridge and Jonas Hoog.
With the final period barely underway, Bracknell surrendered the puck in their own defensive zone and returning D-man Shane Moore fired a slapshot past the screened Annetts (42.14).
However, Moore then went from hero to villain when he was deemed to have felled Ollie Bronnimann as the forward charged towards gloveman Tom Murdy, and referee Matt Thompson awarded a penalty shot that Bronnimann just about forced home (46.58).
Less than six minutes later, the Bees grabbed their third, when Scott Spearing helped the puck into the net from Rob Lamey (52.45), and despite further chances, Swindon could not find an equaliser.
Aldridge was disappointed with two of the three goals his side conceded, and the result particularly rankled given that he felt that the performance was reasonable.
"I don't think Bracknell were that great," he said.
"The first goal was a great powerplay goal and you have to give them that, but I didn't think the second was a penalty shot and the third was a turnover in the D zone, which is something we keep talking about.
"Did we play that bad? No, but it was frustrating to lose like that again. We seem to struggle against Bracknell every single time."
Swindon play their final regular-season home game this coming Saturday, when Guildford arrive at the Link Centre.
The clash has a history of providing blockbuster encounters - including last night when Swindon were narrowly edged out on penalty shots - and this weekend should prove no different.
Wildcats beat Guildford 6-2 at home early in the season but lost 7-5 in the second encounter in Wiltshire on December 28.
