SWINDON Wildcats swept MK Thunder aside in a thumping 10-4 win at the Link Centre.

Nell opened the scoring in what was a frantic first period, when he took advantage of a loose puck by lashing it into the net in the third minute.

In the 10th, Thunder were level through Gareth Flaherty, who managed to find a way through Matt Smital in the Swindon goal.

The home side retaliated immediately via in-form Chris Jones as he found the left of the net, to tail off a sweeping move from the hosts.

Despite it all going well for Nell’s troops, they were pegged back once again deep into the opening period.

Tom Carlon was on the end of a swift counter attack from Thunder with one minute and two seconds left of the first 20.

In the second period, the visitors got in front for the first time, courtesy of Rio Grinnell-Parke, but were hauled back to 3-3 when Nell netted nine seconds after, timed at 25:25.

Jones also doubled up in the 26th minute as his shot trickled through the glove of Joshua Crane to regain the lead.

The action didn’t stop there as the Cats boosted their tally to nine by the end of the second period, as Luc Johnson, Phil Hill, Mikey Power and Edgars Bebris got their first of the night, while Jones completed his hat-trick.

Michael Stratford pulled one back for the visitors.

Sixteen seconds into the third, Max Birbraer added his name to the growing list on the scoresheet to make it 10-4 and round off the win.