PLAYER/COACH Aaron Nell struck an overtime winner as Swindon Wildcats came from behind to beat Sheffield Steeldogs this evening.

Goals from Nell and Tomasz Malasinski had put the Cats in control at the Link Centre but the Steeldogs turned the game around in remarkable fashion to take the lead.

However, Swindon refused to roll over and Jonas Hoog brought them level and although stalemate ensued in the final period, Cats chief Nell struck in the additional five minutes to make it three English Premier League wins in a row for his side.

The Cats had an early sight of goal as Carlo Finucci cracked an effort against the post and they took full advantage when Sheffield went a man down.

Stanislav Lascek was sent to the penalty box for tripping and the hosts made the extra man count as Hoog fed Nell, who ripped a fine strike into the top corner past netminder Dalibor Sedlar.

Hoog and Nell combined again soon afterwards but Sedlar was this time able to flick out a hand to keep out the latter’s shot before Hoog was then denied by the Steeldogs keeper himself.

Action started to come at the other end as Stevie Lyle kept out Stanislav Lascek but the hosts were soon back on the front foot as Hoog nicked the puck and danced forward unchallenged but was only able to shot over the top.

Andrew Hirst then squeezed a close-range shot wide for Sheffield, while Floyd Taylor made room for himself to fire in a shot at the visitors’ goal but it was well saved by Dalibor.

Sheffield finished the period strongly and looked like they might get back level when Lyle spilled a long-range strike but recovered well to deny Liam Charnock on the follow-up as the Cats clung on to the lead.

Nell continued to lead from the front for his side and cracked a shot just wide in the opening exchanges of the second period.

Sheffield again found themselves short of numbers when Andrew Hirst was sin-binned for tripping and Swindon again made the powerplay count, with Hoog feeding Malasinski to double the lead.

Having looked in control, Swindon were suddenly caught out twice in the space of a minute as Sheffield hauled themselves level.

First, Ashley Calvert muscled his way into space to halve the deficit from close range before Lee Haywood then found the net immediately afterwards to restore parity.

The Cats went agonisingly close to a swift response as Nell cracked an effort against the crossbar, while Adam Harding then shot wide right in front of goal.

Sheffield then capped their fightback when Lee Charnock put them ahead just after the half-hour mark, converting after Lascek had charged up the left and pulled the puck back into the middle.

Swindon refused to roll over and got themselves level before the end of the period when they Nell-Hoog combination came up trumps again, with this time the Swede converting from a precise pass to level the scores.

The Cats were the first to threaten in the final period as Finucci drove a shot straight at Sedlar, while Hoog then blazed just wide.

Swindon continued to make all the running as first D-man Callum Buglass carved his way forward and lashed just over the bar before Malasinski smashed an effort against the post.

Sam Bullas looked destined to score as Finucci found him him space in front of goal but again Sedlar made a huge save for the visitors, while Lyle then made one just as crucial at the other end to deny Hirst as the final buzzer sounded with the scores level.

Steelsdogs had the first chance in overtime as Lyle thwarted Calvert before Finucci blazed over the top at the other end but it was the Cats who found that bit of magic when it was most needed as Nell fired home his second of the game to win the points for his side.