SWINDON Wildcats started their weekend on the road in the National League in disappointing fashion on Friday night as they fell to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Sheffield Steeldogs.

Aaron Nell’s side have no home fixture on their schedule this weekend and return to action on Sunday night when they travel to Bracknell Bees.

Those games come amid a four-match streak of away games for the Cats, who were beaten 8-6 at Telford Tigers in the first of those fixtures last Sunday night.

Just one goal arrived in the opening period at iceSheffield tonight as the home side got their noses in front courtesy of Vladimir Luka’s strike.

Sheffield then wrestled control of the contest in the second session as Alex Graham doubled the home side’s lead on the powerplay before then netting his second goal in quick succession to make it 3-0 by the time the buzzer sounded.

Swindon gave themselves a glimmer of hope early in the final period when Sam Bullas reduced the deficit to two goals after being set up by Tomasz Malasinski.

However, hopes of a Cats comeback failed to come to fruition and Craig Elliott made the points safe for Sheffield with the hosts’ fourth goal in the closing stages.

The result leaves Swindon in second place in the National League table, five points behind leaders Telford, although the Link Centre side do have a game in hand.

Swindon have no game on Saturday night before returning to action away at Bracknell on Sunday.

The Cats then complete their run of road fixtures with a trip to Basingstoke Bison on Boxing Day.