SWINDON Wildcats boss Ryan Aldridge was disappointed that his team were out-muscled around the net tonight, despite talking about it moments before the players took to the ice.

Swindon Wildcats suffered a 2-1 defeat to, second in the league, Basingstoke Bison at Planet Ice and Aldridge, not for the first time this season, was left ruing another slow start.

It took less than two minutes for the hosts to take the lead through Great Britain forward Aaron Connolly.

In a game of few opportunities for the visitors it was a moment of brilliance from Jonas Hoog again who turned and found Tomasz Malasinski who pulled the Cats back level three minutes into the second period.

It was Connolly again, who proved a thorn in the Wildcats side most of the night, who found a way past Stevie Lyle, who was on fine form again.

The forward managed to out-smart Callum Buglass one-on-one and was able to fire home low to secure the win, and could have had a hat-trick but the buzzer beat his shot into an empty net in the dying seconds.

Aldridge was subdued at the end of the game after seeing the teams five game winning streak come to an end, and the state of the boards at Planet Ice did not help the visitors cause.

“I think we started slow tonight and we weren’t great in the first period, because we talked before the game about being strong around the net because of how this team works,” said Aldridge.

“The first goal cost us through a back door goal and it was tough tonight because the boards were so bad at both ends of the rink, but worse in the home end where we were in the first and third.

“It was pretty disappointing (to concede so early), especially because we spoke to them right before the game saying that we have got to be strong.

“The game was going to be won in those two areas, at their end in and around the net and our end.

“In the second period we got a lot more into it and it was a nice goal from Tomasz, then the third again we didn’t have enough shots.

“I thought we might have sneaked it tonight, but our second goal again was not very good and we left our d-man stranded on his own.

“We’re one of the least penalty taking teams in the league but the penalties we do take and the timings of them cost us a little. There were too many lazy penalties like slashing and hooking and we took them at bad times.

“It’s always tough to come and play here because of the way they come at you but I think we took too long to get started tonight which was hard because we were a bit short benched.”

Swindon take on MK Lightning, who they got an over-time win over to start their run of five games unbeaten, at the Link Centre but will be without Stevie Whitfield again, concussion, and possibly Floyd Taylor who was taken ill travelling to tonight’s match.

“Stevie can’t because he has concussion, we expected Floyd to play but he got sick on the way here and was heavily sick before the game,” added Aldridge.

“He was green, bless him, so there was no way he could play but the timing wasn’t great.

“They (MK Lightning) are going to come hard tomorrow night; there is no doubt about that.

“They will come out and will be looking for revenge and we have to be on form tomorrow night and helping Stevie out a little bit more.”