Aldridge the party pooper? (From Swindon Advertiser)

Aldridge the party pooper?

9:30am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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AARON Nell says Swindon Wildcats will aim to spoil Milton Keynes’ big night when they take on the league leaders tomorrow.

The Lightning can wrap up first place in the English Premier League regular season table if they win against the Link Centre outfit, or take them to overtime (face-off 7pm).

But Swindon have their own motivations as well, as a win in Buckinghamshire would place huge pressure on rivals Bracknell, with both teams still vying for the final play-off spot.

With just four games left in the regular season and both teams locked together on 35 points each following last week’s results, the race for the eighth-placed finish is as finely balanced as it could possibly be.

“I think Milton Keynes can win the league on Saturday but we’ll be trying to ruin the party,” a bullish Nell told the Advertiser.

“It will be a huge challenge. They will want to win in front of their home crowd and we’ve got to try and ruin that.

“The atmosphere (in the Wildcats squad) has always been good but the last few weeks we’ve finally got together on the ice.

“Hopefully we can do that again this weekend and hopefully it is not too late (to make the end-of-season play-offs).”

Swindon head into tomorrow’s clash, and Sunday’s trip to Sheffield Scimitars (face-off 5.30pm), in good form.

Ryan Aldridge’s troops have won four of their last six games, including a superb double triumph over Guildford Flames and Slough Jets last weekend.

Wildcats recorded surprise 3-2 triumphs over two teams sitting in lofty positions in the league.

And Nell added: “No one expected us to get four points last week, but now we’ve got the belief that we can beat anyone.

“It gave us a lot of confidence because they are two of the most talented teams in the league.”

The Wildcats’ opponents on Sunday, Sheffield, have won just four games in 2010, but two of those have come in the last three matches.

One of their 2010 victories came against Swindon, who they beat in a shootout in late February.

Nell said: “Sheffield are very young but they work very hard and never quit.

“They are a tough team for us to be up against.”