WILDCATS player coach Aaron Nell led by example as his hat-trick fired the Wildcats to a 6-2 win over Bracknell Bees at the Link Centre.

Swindon made a measured start to proceedings as they returned to the Link Centre following their four point weekend last time out.

Nell was the first to get a chance to put his team in the lead after shifting the puck to his left before striking it just wide.

Two minutes later Nell went one better and put the Wildcats in the lead, neat passing between Jonas Hoog and Tomasz Malasinski near the Bracknell goal which lead to Nell stroking it home with 5:16 on the clock.

The hosts then enjoyed spells of pressure, but it was when they were defending they managed to double their lead.

Lee Richardson picked out Malasinski on the halfway mark, he then knocked to towards Hoog who improvised well to get the second on 9:12.

The remainder of the period looked fairly easy for the Wildcats, but it wasn’t to last as the Bees stung the Cats when they grabbed a goal back with just over three minutes of the period left.

Nell was clearly enjoying himself out on the ice when he claimed his second of the night to make it 3-1 to the cats four minutes into the second period.

Hoog then came close to making it four when he drifted through to the net, before it was denied by the gloves of the Bracknell netminder. 

It then only took another five minutes for Nell to complete his hat-trick as well putting the Wildcats three goals ahead.

Assisted by Mark Smith, Nell was able to poke the puck in when he found himself through with no-one but the keeper to beat.

On reflection it was a slightly scrappy affair in the second period, but the Wildcats dealt with everything they needed to as well as adding to their lead.

The third and final period was a calmer period, Kyle Smith came close when he lashed his shot wide with 15 minutes to play.

It should have been five when Tomasz Malasinski had plenty of time and space, but he failed to hit the target. 

The cats went close again when a scramble at the net saw the puck fall to Sam Bullas, who again couldn't make the most of the Wildcats pressure. 

With the game stretched the pressure finally paid off when Hoog made it 5-1, when Nell slide the puck to him before he tucking it into the roof  of the net.

With the game slipping away from them the Bracknell Bees continued to have good possession but lacked any real cutting edge to concern the Stevie Lyle in the Wildcats net.

Then on 54:04 the Bees were able to get a goal back on the power play to make it 5-2 when Carl Thompson cut the advantage back to three.

The visitors where then in the ascendency, but the Wildcats killed the game off when Jan Kostal made it 6-2 with less than a minute to play.

The win will be a welcome change in momentum for the Wildcats, who are now without Ben Davies, as they recorded their third successive victory.

Following the win, they will now be full of confidence ahead of their trip to Blackpool where they will face Manchester Phoenix.