SWINDON Wildcats saw the marginal gains they need to make to be the best when their winning run was ended by English Premier League leaders Telford Tigers, according to forward Phil Hill.

Aaron Nell’s side travelled to Shropshire on Sunday seeking a fifth-straight victory but the Tigers showed the killer instinct that has carried them to the top of the table to carve out an 8-3 success.

Hill swapped Telford for Swindon last month after the Tigers hit financial difficultly and has helped solidify things after a sticky spell for the Cats due to a lengthy injury list.

Although disappointed by Sunday’s defeat, the 34-year-old hopes the showdown with his former employers can help his new team to learn lessons about what it takes to contend for honours.

“Coming in, we were on the back of four wins in a row and we have been playing some good hockey but at the important times of the game, they (Telford) seemed to step it up a level,” said Hill.

“When we scored, they came back and scored and it was just those little moments that cost us.

“It wasn’t an 8-3 game by any means but we have got to learn that if you want to be a championship team, you have got to seize those moments as they are the ones that come back and haunt you if you don’t.”

Swindon were made to pay for a slow start at Telford as they were 2-0 down inside eight minutes.

Although they were able to steady the ship and kept the deficit to two goals going into the final period, that left them with too much to do to try to claw their way back into the game.

Cats can still boast a healthy record of just one defeat in five matches so there is not too much soul searching for them to do before they return to action at home to Peterborough Phantoms this Saturday.

Hill said: “It was tough in the first couple of minutes to go two down but I think we responded really well.

“We had a good first period and in the second period, we really pushed. We had a couple of chances and if we’d put them away and put a bit of pressure on them, confidence gets up and it’s a different game.

“They are top of the league for a reason, though, and they seized the moments.

“You have got to go for it in the final period and you make plays that in the first two periods, you wouldn’t make.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t come off for us but we go again next weekend and try to get back on track.”