JAMES Galazzi scored with less than five minutes to play as Wildcats were beaten by Bracknell for the fifth time this season.

Last night’s EPL clash at the Hive appeared set for overtime in a cagey third period, before Galazzi scrambled into the net from close range at 55.25.

It was hard luck on Swindon who outshot their hosts 38-28, but ultimately they did not play well enough for long enough.

The scoreline left D-man Shane Moore disappointed, but he stated that it was important to remember that the 6-1 victory over Manchester on Saturday had ultimately resulted in a decent weekend’s work.

He said: “Sometimes it’s down to different styles of hockey and although I think Bracknell aren’t as gifted as us in the skills department, they play gritty hockey and it works for them.

“We struggle against that style of hockey sometimes, but tonight was just a game of errors really. Some of their goals were a bit lucky and some of ours were a bit lucky.

“The game could have gone either way and unfortunately it went their way, but we can’t get down on that because we’re still beating the top teams in the league.

“We know we’re good enough to compete and we know we’re good enough to go for some silverware this year.

“Take nothing away from Manchester, they are a really good team, but I think it was a good performance for 60 minutes on Saturday and that was what earned us the victory.

“Bracknell was always going to be a tough game so it made the points against Manchester even more valuable.”

Swindon were slow to get going last night and found themselves 2-0 down with just over four minutes played.

First Martin Masa struck in a four-on-four situation after Jonas Hoog and Scott Spearing had been binned (2.04).

Spearing then returned to the action and within 12 seconds he had found a second and put the short-handed Bees two goals up (4.04).

Swindon began to create chances of their own and got their reward at 11.31 when Henri Sandvik’s optimistic wristshot found its way past netminder Carl Ambler.

Period two was a decidedly different story as Swindon almost doubled their hosts’ shot count with 19 and surged into the lead for the first time.

Aaron Nell had most of the net to aim at in making it 2-2 at 23.02, only for Rob Lamey to put Bracknell back in front 55 seconds later.

Ollie Betteridge touched home from Sandvik at 28.44 and then a defensive nightmare allowed Hoog to send the puck through the middle of the rink for Nell, and the former Coventry man beat Ambler with clever stick work (38.03).

Early in period three, the game was once more levelled up as Ollie Bronnimann got the final touch (42.26), and that was how it stayed for most of a cautious final 20 minutes in which Paul Swindlehurst came off with what appeared a minor injury.

Galazzi forced the puck home late on and despite pulling Skinns, Swindon could not grab the equaliser.

Lukas Smital might have made the margin of victory greater, but he missed an open goal with seconds left.