SWINDON Wildcats player-coach Aaron Nell was pleased to see Carlo Finucci back to his best as the Canadian’s hat-trick inspired the hosts to a 3-2 victory over Milton Keynes Lightning tonight.

The 29-year-old started his time with the Cats with a bang but dropped off the pace following an injury back in December.

Finucci has found his form again in recent weeks and a goal in each period ensured that Swindon were able to close the gap on Lightning in the English Premier League and Nell believes his side can be a threat come the play-offs if the import keeps up his form.

“Carlo had a great game tonight,” said the player-coach, who was without Stevie Lyle, Callum Buglass and Matt Selby for the tie.

“He’s back to the level he was when he first came here.

“His last five games have been unbelievable. If he can carry that on for the rest of the season, we have got a big chance of doing something special.

“Milton Keynes are a good team and we played extremely hard tonight and it’s a massive, massive two points.

“When we are short, we are sometimes a little bit better, it’s just about working hard.

“If we work hard and work smart, then we have always got a chance of winning the game. It was a massive, massive win tonight.”

Hedley, standing in for the injured Lyle, had to tend 43 shots on the evening against his former club but was helped out by some organised defending from the Cats.

“When we play good defence, we will get good chances offensively,” added Nell.

“We always know that teams are going to come at us, especially if we are winning a game. If we play smart, we will get those chances.

“We can’t cheat offensively but we will get the chances like we did there. And when you have got Carlo and Jonas (Höög) going down on a two-on-one the most likely thing is, it’s going to be a goal.

“It was great. We have had problems holding leads and we just stuck to it. We all stuck together, played hard and were unselfish, and that’s important.”

Nell himself was returning for the first time since he suffered a severe cut to his face in the match at Sheffield Steeldgos on February 28.

Although playing with a cage mask may have hindered his game he was pleased to get out and play his part.

“I felt a bit rusty,” he added.

“If you have a week off, you lose quite a bit. I felt a bit rusty but it was good to get back in the game.

“I’ll have a couple of practices before Saturday and feel a lot better.”