SWINDON Wildcats head coach Ryan Aldridge admitted that his side were slightly fortunate as they completed a back to the walls win over Basingstoke Bison this evening.

The Wildcats completed a 5-3 win to close the gap on their league rivals to just one point, with a game in hand, despite finding themselves under large periods of pressure for much of the game.

However the Link Centre boss has admitted his side cannot play the same way if they are to do anything in the play-offs come the end of the month.

“That’s the biggest worry for me because in the play-offs we can’t play like that,” he said.

“We’ve said it all year, we’re so good offensively but we have to buy in defensively and play solid defence and take our chances when they come.

“We did that tonight and lucky Gums (Stevie Lyle) was on fire for us back there.”

Strikes from Aarron Nell and Lee Richardson gave Swindon a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.

Bison came out in the second period strong and Swindon were pinned in their own half for much of it but two fine individual goals from Sam Bullas and Jonas Hoog put the visitors in a commanding position.

The hosts continued to dominate proceedings in the final period and scored twice through Doug Sheppard and Nicky Chinn to make for a nervous ending.

But with net-minder Dean Skinns, who marked 10,000 minutes on the ice for Basingstoke in the second minute of the game, pulled Tomas Kana was able to secure the two points.

“It’s always tough to come and play in this building but tonight was a bit of a weird one, for that second period we didn’t play great but scored two really nice goals,” added Aldridge.

“It’s a weird one but a result’s a result.

“We showed up for 45 seconds in that (second) period but they were two massive goals.

“We knew they were going to come hard again in the third but when they pulled the goalie we were lucky to get that last goal.

“They’re big points, no doubt about that, and a win’s a win.

“We could easily have not taken anything from tonight, or the whole weekend, so it’s a massive two points.”

The win came at a cost though for Swindon, with Floyd Taylor picking up an injury and looks likely to miss tomorrow’s trip to Guildford Flames.

“Floydy took a knock in the second so we’ll be a little short benched tomorrow night,” said Aldridge.

“We’ll go there and try and bore the hell out of them a squeak a point or two. We can’t go there and go in all guns blazing while short benched, though.

“He’s in pain across the top of his body, so I think he’ll probably miss out.”