A BRACE from Alan Lack helped Basingstoke Bison to a 5-0 win against a depleted Swindon Wildcats side.

It took until the 25th minute for Basingstoke to break down Swindon’s resolute defence through Lack before further second-period strikes from René Jarolin and Tomas Karpov put the hosts in a commanding position.

Ciaran Long made it four in the 48th minute with a solo effort before Lack got his second of the game three minutes from time.

Swindon headed to Hampshire without three influential players with Stevie Lyle and Tomasz Malasinki both missing on international duty and Matt Selby still absent through injury.

The Wildcats were able to welcome back Corey McEwen, but had a clear game plan to protect Jordan Hedley in the Swindon net against the league leaders.

For the first 24 minutes their plan worked as they were able to stifle their hosts and restrict them to a limited amount of chances on goal.

Basingstoke had the best chance to break Swindon’s resolve in the fifth minute when Jarolin picked up a loose puck and drove at Hedley’s goal only to be denied by the Wildcats netminder.

Lack was Basinstoke’s biggest threat of the first period but he failed to find a way past 19-year-old Hedley and at the other end Adam Harding was knocking on the door for Swindon.

Swindon had a chance to steal a first period lead in the last minute of the period when he worked himself some space but his shot was well saved by Tomas Hiadlovsky.

The hosts came out of the first break looking the brighter and after a sustained period of possession in the Swindon third they were able to break the deadlock.

Karpov came off the right side for the Bison and fired towards Hedley's goal, with Lack on hand to tip it home in the 25th minute.

Having got through the Swindon wall it took less than three minutes for their advantage to be doubled.

Reynolds fired a shot into the mix and Hedley could only block it. With Aaron Connolly and Jarolin both battling at the feet of the Swindon netminder it was the latter who got the telling touch.

Swindon were able to weather the storm and had chances of their own down the other side with Jan Kostal twice going close and Carlo Finucci being denied by Hiadlovsky.

However, it was the hosts who netted a third with less than three minutes on the clock as Stuart Mogg saw his effort from the blueline tipped into the air and the puck fell nicely for Karpov to fire home.

Basingstoke were able to extend their lead eight minutes into the third period when Long charged down the right and caught Harvey Stead, skating backwards, off balance before firing past Hedley.

The home side wrapped up the scoring in the 58th minute having just seen out the first penalty of the game.

Basingstoke broke with speed with Jarolin and he found Connolly who dropped the puck to Lack, fresh from the bench, and his initial shot was blocked by Hedley but the Basingstoke man made no mistake at the second time of asking.

Bison man of the match: Dan Lackey

Wildcats man of the match: Jan Kostal