A PENALTY from Swindon Wildcats captain Jan Kostal gave his side a winning start to the new year after Bracknell Bees came from a goal down to force the shootout.

Jonas Höög handed Swindon a first-period lead against the run of play and had to withstand large periods of pressure.

However, Bracknell restored parity with six minutes of the contest remaining through Olegs Lascenko to take the game to overtime.

Kostal, the second to take a penalty for Swindon after a goalless overtime, made no mistake as he found the roof of the net to secure a four-pint weekend.

Swindon had to weather an early storm as the hosts came out of the blocks quickly and it wasn’t long before Rio Grinell-Parke was forcing Stevie Lyle into his first save.

The best chance fell to Luka Basic, back from injury for the hosts, in the eighth minute when Basic was through one-on-one with Lyle but ending up in a heap in the goal, with Stevie Whitfield being pinned for slashing.

However, Swindon took the lead completely against the run of play when Jordan Kelsall played a lovely pass through the middle of the ice to find Höög in plenty of space and he made no mistake as he beat Alexander Mettam.

The second period was one of little chances for either side as Bracknell struggled to play at the same intensity as they started the game, while Swindon were happy to try and pick off their opponents on the counter.

Luck was on Swindon’s side in the 32nd minute when Ingoldsby tried to catch Lyle off guard with an effort from distance and the Cats netminder was unable to claim the puck cleanly but it dropped kindly and was cleared.

Bracknell started the final period in fine fashion and were the width of the goal frame from being back level when Lukas Smital struck the crossbar of Lyle’s goal in the 41st minute.

In the 48th minute, Lyle was forced into a fine double save as he first prevented a goal-bound deflection from Whitfield before getting to his feet and denying Alex Barker.

Swindon’s defence was eventually breached in the 54th minute when Lascenkoo found a way through with a fierce shot from the right of the rink that left Lyle with little chance.

Swindon responded immediately and Mettam was forced into two good saves to deny Max Birbraer and then Mark Smith.

A frantic overtime ensued as both sides saw a man sent to the penalty bin – Floyd Taylor, too many men on the ice, and Besic, interference – but neither team could capitalise.

Thomasz Malasinski and Höög both fired wide in the penalty shootout but with Lyle unbeaten at the other end, Kostal’s goal was enough to secure two points returned to Wiltshire.

Bees man of the match: Rio Grinell-Parke

Wildcats man of the match: Stevie Whitfield