AARON Nell admitted that a ‘desperate’ Milton Keynes side wanted it more on the night as his side fell to a 4-1 defeat to the league leaders at the Link Centre.

Swindon started the game strongly and after keeping the visitors out in the first period were able to take a well-deserved lead when Corey McEwen struck in the 29th minute.

However, two third period goals in the space of 71 seconds from Blaz Emersic and Adam Carr dealt the home side a sucker punch, before Lewis Hook and James Griffin wrapped up the win.

With Lightning having lost at home 4-2 to Guildford Flames the previous night they knew a win was vital for them to stay at the top and Nell said it showed in the final period.

“I thought we had a good first 40 minutes, especially the first (period) where I thought we were excellent, and they gave all they have got,” said the player/coach.

“The second period we got that big goal and then they have scored twice quickly and we have changed a few things maybe we shouldn’t have and there was no life.

“You go two down and you can’t just quit. When we let in a goal we can’t panic.

“You are not going to win every game we play, but we have got to work hard 60 minutes of every game and I don’t think we did that tonight.

“They were a desperate team and last week we won because we wanted it more than them and this week they won because they wanted it more than us.

“I think they out-worked us tonight and it was pretty disappointing.”

Swindon were without Tomasz Malasinski for the game, who was missing with a muscle strain, and Nell said that not having the Pole available to them was a big loss but did not want to use it as an excuse for the defeat.

“He has got an injury and we are going to get him a scan this week,” added Nell, who hopes to have the forward back for the home match against Hull Pirates next weekend.

“He was hurt last week and he played and we have seen the doctor and hopefully he will be back.

“We missed Tomasz tonight. We were playing with three imports and we were probably missing one of the top three, four, or five players in the league.

“Tomasz is great and we did miss him, but that can’t be an excuse.”