SWINDON Wildcats ensured that they earned their Sunday rest with victory over the Bracknell Bees at the Link Centre this evening.

With no road game on the menu for Sunday evening, Ryan Aldridge’s men ensured that they took maximum points at home to keep the pressure on the Basingstoke Bison and Guildford Flames.

Aaron Nell put the Wildcats ahead in the opening stages before Bracknell levelled things up with a power play goal of their own, Lukas Smital finding the net.

But Swindon forward Nell, days after committing his long-term future to his hometown club with a new contract, restored the Wildcats’ lead with a scorching second.

After Callum Buglass twice attempted to find a way past Alex Mettam early in the second period, the hosts’ Adam Harding took exception to a hit from Pavel Strycek and dropped gloves instantly but the Bees man wasn’t really interested in a dust-up and the flashpoint was soon curtailed by the officials.

Wildcats chief-in-waiting Stevie Lyle was relieved to see off a Smital effort before the home side went 3-1 up after Nell battled in the centre of the Bees zone and a fortunate ricochet fell to Jonas Hoog, who smartly knocked the puck past Mettam with an instinctive finish with the outside of his stick.

The home fans were up in arms moments later as Kana’s strike appeared to cross the line but the officials waved play on and then both Kana and Harding drew saves from the visiting netminder.

Mettam beat away Nell’s fearsome first-time effort on the power play before the home side netted their fourth of the evening, Kana blasting home an unstoppable scorcher from Hoog’s cross-ice pass.

Lyle then made a fine reaction save to deny Lewis Turner as Swindon took a three-goal advantage into the final break of the evening.

Scott Spearing fired over early in the final period whilst Stryceck’s superb sliding block denied Hoog.

Sam Bullas and Bracknell’s Galazzi, who brawled the last time the two teams met at the Link, decided to drop gloves and duke it out once again and as soon as play resumed following the fight, the Wildcats raced away and Nell grabbed his hat-trick.

Lyle made a solid save to deny Sam Waller after he was set up by Matt Foord whilst also denying Ivan Antonov on the power play just a few moments before Hoog’s effort was beaten away at the other end.

During a Bracknell power play, some excellent last-ditch defending from Harding and Lyle’s save from Jan Bendik kept things tight before Glenn Billing almost netted from Bullas’ pass.

Hoog then teed up Kana just a few yards in front of the Bracknell goal but Mettam dived across to pull off a spectacular save whilst Toms Rutkis blasted down the throat of the Bees goalie late on.