SWINDON WILDCATS ended their run of five home league matches without a win thanks to an over-time goal from Jan Kostal.

Swindon showed real strength of character as they came from two goals down to but were forced to take the game to over-time.

A goal from skipper Kostal in the first minute was enough to secure the 5-4 win over Milton Keynes Lightning.

The face-off was delayed by 15 minutes, after it appeared a car carrying Cats players, including net minder Stevie Lyle, was delayed making its way from Cardiff.

And it seemed like Swindon were still in the dressing room when Lightning scored after just two minutes through Michael Farn.

Swindon pulled the score back level through Ollie Betteridge but two goals from Jordan Crownie and Ross Green gave the visitors a two goal lead after just ten minutes.

Tomasz Malasinski was able to pull a goal back before the first period break before goals from Adam Harding and Kenton Smith turned the game on its head in the second period.

However Stanislav Lascek scored a power play goal was enough to take the game to over-time.

With Farn in the sin-bin, it was the captain who stepped up and fired his side to a much needed victory and the relief amongst the players was clear to see as they all came together at the end of the game.

After all the pre-match talk about getting a good start it was the complete opposite at the Link Centre as a poor clearance in the second minute fell to Farn near the blue line on the left who fired first time past Lyle.

The lead did not last long however as captain Jan Kostal led by example and hassled Lightning into a mistake behind the net and was able to lay the puck on a plate for Betteridge to fire hard home.

The visitors restored their goal advantage in the sixth minute when Henrik Sandvik failed to get hold of a poor pass from Aaron Nell and Crownie was able to snatch the puck and one-on-one with Lyle he made no mistake.

That lead was extended three minutes later when Buglass got out muscled near the Swindon blue line and Green picked up the puck and fired it through the legs of Lyle.

Swindon were able to get a goal back before the first period break when Malasinski was on hand to turn home a shot from Nell after 13 minutes.

The Swindon net came under some early pressure in the second period but it was Harding who got the goal after a great strike from the right nestled in the opposite corner of the net.

Swindon then found themselves in front after some good work from Floyd Taylor behind the net in the 37 minute before Nell was able to pick out Smith with an inch perfect pass and there was no question that he would score.

It was the visitors who pulled the game back level again in the third period through Lascek.

With Betteridge in the sin-bin for hooking the Cats were caught out up-field and Lascek charged down the ice and fired into the right corner past Lyle.

Kostal was the man with the decisive goal as he took aim a minute into over-time and fired hard past Hedley.