SWINDON Wildcats executed the perfect game plan as a double from Adam Harding helped Swindon muzzle the Sheffield Steeldogs with a comfortable 4-1 victory on the road.

The Wildcats were disciplined in defence, catching their hosts on the break as Harding scored twice either side of a strike from Jonas Hoog.

Aaron Nell put Swindon in a commanding position in the final period before a late strike from Janis Ozolins gave the home side a consolation goal.

With Alex Symonds missing his second game with an ankle injury and Tomas Kana ruled out with a concussion he picked up on Saturday night Kenton Smith returned for a rare appearance in the side.

And he proved to be the defensive anchor that Swindon were so desperately missing the previous evening against Basingstoke Bison.

With Smith in the side head coach Ryan Aldridge had a clear game plan to play defensively and catch their hosts on the break.

Swindon were a lot more measured in their approach during the first period, in stark contrast to the manic nature of the game at the Link Centre 24 hours previous.

Swindon rode their luck with Lyle saving well from Ashley Calvert before Nell nearly turned the puck into his own net after it took a nasty deflection off his skate.

However their tactics worked in the fifth minute when they were able to break on Sheffield and Tomas Malasinski was able to find Harding who finished well from close range.

Swindon continued to defend in numbers and at one point were forced to keep Sheffield at bay with only three out on the ice with Ryan Moore, interference, and Harding, delay of the game, both in the sin bin for a 48 second period.

With Sam Bullas forced to sit out the second period with an upper body injury Swindon continued to absorb the pressure.

And like in the first they broke with Malasinski in the 24th minute and he was able to square to Hoog, whose first time shot was too good for Sedlar.

For a second time in the game Swindon’s defence was tested when Floyd Taylor, interference, and Smith, hooking, both found their way into the sin-bin.

For a second time they held strong and it wasn’t long before they found themselves in their own five on three situation with Craig Elliot, interference, and Ozolins, boarding off the ice.

Unlike the hosts Swindon made the most of the advantage. Despite Elliott returning to the ice Sheffield could not hold on and a shot from Nell from the blue line was deflected past Sedlar by Harding.

Sheffield were offered a way back into the game when Whitfield was pinned for pulling back Lubomir Korhon and the winger was handed a penalty shot.

However Korhon failed to take advantage as he lost contact with the puck which allowed Lyle to poke it away before the Czech forward could get his shot away.

Swindon further extended their lead in the 46th minute with another goal on the counter-attack.

Smith was able to work the puck forward to Hoog on the right and after drawing in a defender he was able to square to Nell who fired home first time to the delight of the handful of travelling fans.

The hosts pulled a goal back with eight minutes remaining when Ozolins saw a speculative effort from a tight angle on the left go in off the pads of Lyle but that was all Sheffield could muster as they game petered out.