THE Christmas break could have come too early for Swindon Wildcats head coach Ryan Aldridge as his team have found their stride in the league.

After a shaky start to the season the Cats have discovered their rhythm and signed off for the festive period with the perfect gift to their fans.

The 5-4 victory over league leaders Telford Tigers, in front of a packed Link Centre, has sent out a strong message to the rest of the league.

Aldridge’s men have now not tasted defeat in nearly a month, a run that has lifted them from second from bottom to third in the English Premier League.

All that has come as well with Glenn Billing, Floyd Taylor and Callum Buglass all away claiming a gold medal with the Great Britain Under 20 squad.

However despite the hot streak Aldridge is welcoming the break with the Link Centre boss excited for what the second half of the season could bring.

"Our defence was great but our team defence was just as great. Everyone was behind the puck and had a good body position to the net and that is all you can ask from them," he said

“You look at our forward line-ups and it is too much for a lot of teams to handle.

“Everyone is playing so well right now and they are playing for the team.

“We started a little bit rocky but now we know how good we can be we’ve got to take that into the second half of the year now.

“I think we have got in a couple of teams heads.”

Telford came out with a very physical game plan, which included them rushing Stevie Lyle on several occasions, but Aldridge was pleased with how his team rose above the antics to focus on the matter in hand.

It was the Cats who took the lead in one of the best first periods of the season through 16-year-old Adam Finlinson who has impressed since stepping up to the first team to help out with the lack of players.

The hosts fell behind to two contentious power play goals but Aaron Nell and Tomasz Malinski combined to score a contender for goal of the season to level the game before the break.

It was the Polish forward who was involved again after the re-start when his shot proved too hot to handle for Tom Murdy but the lead lasted for all of 30 seconds before McKenzie levelled.

Nell got his second of the game just before the half hour mark before Adam Harding made the most of the visitors having two players in the sin-bin to give the Cats breathing room.

A late goal Jason Silverthorn made for a nervous ending but the Aldrige’s men all put their body on the line to grind out the win.

“I think the boys got every point in the last four weeks that they deserved,” added Aldridge who singled out Lee Richardson for praise.

“I think the system they play suits us and I think it works in our favour.

“I think a few guys were ready to step up and do a job tonight fighting wise but for us it couldn’t happen.

“It would have left us too short and too tired, so a couple of the guys had to bite their tongue and hold their gloves on at tough times, with Stevie getting hit.

“I think the boys were so tired in the last eight minutes I kept saying to them eight more minutes, seven more minutes, six more minute, we just had to keep going and they did.

“You could see that our gas was kind of gone but we did what we needed to for the win.”