SWINDON Wildcats made life difficult for themselves as they beat bottom-of-the-league Hull Pirates 6-4 at the Link Centre.

Hull gave Swindon a shock as they took an early two goal lead but a brace from Aaron Nell got the hosts back on level term before a Tomasz Malasinski double secured the win.

Swindon started the game in a lax fashion and were soon made to pay when James Hutchinson tried his luck from down the left in the seventh minute and, despite getting a glove to the puck, Jordan Hedley could not do enough to stop it crossing the line.

Nell and his side were soon left shell-shocked when Cameron Brownley then doubled the visitors’ lead two minutes later, with the Swindon player/coach calling an immediate timeout.

Swindon responded well and went close a number of times before Nell finally found a way past Martins Raitums’ resistance.

In the 14th minute Jonas Hoog saw an effort blocked by Raitums and the Hull stopper then denied Malasinski but could not do it for a third time as Nell found him out of position to fire home at the back post.

Swindon were back on level terms two minutes later when Malasinski went around the back of the net before pulling the puck back for Nell to haul the hosts level.

The Wildcats were able to put themselves into the lead two minutes before the break when Adam Harding found Carlo Finucci on the right and with no other options he tried his luck and his effort slipped through the legs of Raitums.

Swindon were able to extend their lead five minutes after the break as they started to find their rhythm and take control of the game.

With Hutchinson in the bin for hooking, the hosts capitalised when Hoog pulled the puck back to Nell on the blueline and, despite his shot being Raitums saved, Malasinski was on hand to turn the loose puck home.

Corey McEwen then showed some fine stick control on the half-hour mark as he made the most of Floyd Taylor pulling the defender away to slot past Raitums.

Hull were not done in the contest though and Sam Towner struck a warning shot when he found the foot of Hedley’s post with the Swindon netminder beaten.

Swindon did not heed the warning though and a minute before the break Brownley tried a speculative effort, with Sam Bullas in the bin for high sticks, and his shot was cruelly deflected off Lee Richardson and past Hedley.

Hull further reduced the arrears nine minutes into the final period as Tommi Laine caught them on the break and one-on-one with Hedley the Fin made no mistake.

Swindon restored their two goal advantage when Neil Liddiard and Pasi Salonen were both in the bin, as Hoog got himself another assist to set up Malasinski for his second in the 53rd minute.

Wildcats man of the match: Tomasz Malasinski

Pirates man of the match: Cameron Brownley