SWINDON Wildcats needed overtime to overcome the Bracknell Bees as they clinched a dramatic 5-4 at the Link Centre.

After making a sluggish start when the teams last met on New Year’s Day, Nell will be delighted with how his troops got underway this time around.

Skipper Jan Kostal played an instrumental part in the opening goal, as he demonstrated great strength on the boards despite the interest from the Bracknell Bees man.

After shrugging off the defender, he was able to pick out Nell, who had no issue lashing home from close range.

Some slack defending from the visitors enabled the Cats to secure a 2-0 lead in the first period, as Luc Johnson produced a vicious finished after being awarded a penalty shot.

Johnson had pinched the puck from the Bracknell backline, before being hauled down whilst taking aim in the eighth minute of the game.

As expected, the visitors came flying out of the blocks in an attempt to get back into contention and they halved the deficit with 31 minutes on the clock.

James Galazzi was the man who added his name to the scoresheet, but netminder Renny Marr will be bitterly disappointed as he had a full glove on the shot, which squirmed over the line.

In the third and final period, the Cats landed a killer blow in the first minute after the restart.

Patient build up between Nell, Edgar Bebris and Sam Bullas saw the puck eventually fall to Jordan Kelsall, who was able to find the back of the net.

Shortly after his goal, he became the second home player to be handed a two-minute penalty, alongside Sam Godfrey, and the hosts paid the price as Callum Best notched Bracknell’s second.

Two then became three for the Bees as they stung the hosts for the second time in quick succession, this time it was Frantisek Bakrlik who scored, to level proceedings.

After Kelsall and Godfrey returned to the ice, Bebris became the latest home player to go into the bin, which allowed Danny Ingoldsby to take advantage and complete the comeback for Bracknell who led 4-3.

However, with just under two minutes left on the clock, the Cats fought back to claim their fourth as Kelsall snatched his second of the game to send the clash into overtime.

The final five minutes got off to a nervy start, before Bebris popped up with the winner two minutes from time.