AARON Nell admitted the Swindon Wildcats need to learn not to press the panic button as they clung on to triumph 4-3 at Milton Keynes Lightning this evening.

Lightning started the day top of the English Premier League table but it was the Cats who looked the in-from side at Planet Ice as they swept into a 4-0 lead.

However, the hosts mounted a brave fightback in the final period and player/coach Nell was a relieved man once the buzzer sounded.

The fixture was the first with former coach Stevie Lyle back in the Cats net following his return to the club earlier in the week and Nell says the Cats must learn to back themselves more.

“We got that fourth goal and they came flying. They had a bit of a jump after the first goal and we panicked a bit but we have just got to relax,” said Nell.

“Stevie’s in goal and on form and as long as we play they are not scoring four goals in 15 minutes, it’s just not going to happen. Stevie is not going to get a shut-out every game so if we let one goal in we have just got to relax.

“I think we panicked a bit and that might bite us in the bum in the future, but who cares tonight as we got the two points.

“We have got to have confidence in what we are doing, we can’t panic like that. In the end we had played so well in the first 45 minutes we could afford to panic in the last 15, we had enough of a cushion.

“It probably wasn’t a 4-3 game. They had more of the puck but we were very, very good tonight and who cares whether it was 4-0 or 4-3. As long as you get those two points that’s the most important thing.

“We played a very passive system and we knew we would get chances as they would get frustrated. We took our chances well and I think we could have had six or seven goals. It was pretty to watch and we had a good road game.

“This team is flying right now, they are top of the league and to take two points here is a massive achievement.”

Lyle made a number of crucial stops earlier in the night which had helped the Cats build up such a hefty cushion and Nell said he had fitted back into the dressing room with ease.

“Stevie was unbelievable tonight. When we play well around him and he is playing like that it’s a pretty tough mix to stop,” said Nell.

“He was seeing the puck well and we’re very happy to have him back.

“Stevie is very well respected and everyone likes him, you can’t not like him. He’s a great person.

“He just came right back in with a smile on his face. He made a few jokes here and there but we’re very happy to have him back.

“I believe we have got the two best tandem goalies in the league now. With Jordan (Hedley) and Stevie in goal we have got a chance to win every night.”