SWINDON Wildcats head coach Ryan Aldridge blasted a “horrific” defensive performance after they were sent packing in the Challenge Cup semi-finals by Manchester Phoenix tonight.

Cats were simply outclassed at the Altrincham Ice Dome as Phoenix soared to a dominant 10-5 second leg success to triumph 13-8 on aggregate and set up a meeting with Telford Tigers in the final.

Head coach Aldridge refused to gloss over his Swindon’s poor performance, which at one stage left them chasing a 6-0 deficit midway through the second period.

Aldridge said: “Our defensive zone was horrific tonight. Time and time again we gave their guys clear shooting opportunities.

“We were just getting beat too much, guys weren’t picking their guys up in certain areas.

“We wanted to press them in certain areas and if anything we backed up even more. We addressed that after the first period but it seemed to get worse as the game went on.

“You look at big guys to play big games in this situation and that wasn’t the case tonight.

“Jonas (Hoog) worked hard but I don’t think anyone really stood out tonight.

“Was it the occasion maybe on a young team? When one or two go in normally it should spark you off but it just seemed to get worse.”

Cats will now look to bounce back in the English Premier League on Saturday night when they face an immediate rematch with Phoenix.

And Aldridge says Swindon will not be short of motivation when the two sides take to the ice at the Link Centre.

He said: “There’s no better taste than revenge, right? We owe them big time.”