HOSTS Swindon Topcats just missed out again on winning their own two-day women's ice hockey tournament staged at the Link Centre last weekend.

They were beaten 4-0 by Slough Phantoms in the final of the 12th British Women's Friendship Tournament, the top ladies tournament in the country - their only defeat in 13 matches over the two days.

It was the first time that TopCats had reached the final in the last three years after relegation from the top flight of British Women's ice hockey.

After winning the first three tournaments in 1996, 1997 and 1998, Topcats have now been beaten finalists four times (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007).

Despite only now being members of Division 1 South the Swindon ladies side did extremely well to finish in the top four in the round robin group table and make the semi-finals - finishing above premier clubs Slough, Streatham and Cardiff.

In their 11 round robin games Topcats won seven times and drew the other four.

It gave them 18 points, but third spot on goal difference although they finished on the same number of points as Bracknell Queen Bees.

Guildford won the group with 20 points while Slough were fourth on 17.

Both semi-finals were very keenly contested matches.

In the first Guildford took an early lead but Premier League champions Slough came back with two goals in the opening 11 minutes to win 2-1 and book their place in the final.

In the second semi-final TopCats played well to hold premier league runners-up Bracknell QB to a 0-0 draw.

In the sudden death penalty shoot-out Swindon reigned supreme. Netminder Sue Hart stopped Natalie Aldridge's effort while Becky Hargreaves made no mistakes firing the puck into the net to put Swindon into the final.

However, in the final TopCats, despite beating Slough 1-0 in the group matches, never recovered from conceding a goal after only 18 seconds to Great Britain international Louise Wheeler.

They were put under pressure for most of the first 15 minute period as Phantoms added two more goals from Nicola Bicknell (7.48) and Wheeler again (10.10).

The second period was a much more even affair but Swindon found keeper Verity Boome in fine form and no way past in 13 shots.

At the other end Sue Hart was beaten once more at 23.20 by Chelsea Meaney to complete Phantoms 4-0 victory.

The annual event, the 12th Friendship Tournament, was very well attended and a huge success.

The tried and tested formula of 12 teams, 66 group matches, an exhibition junior game and two semi-finals and a final once again proved extremely popular.

GWR's Louise Lewis got the tournament underway with the ceremonial dropping of the puck on Saturday, while the final was played on Sunday evening followed by the closing ceremony and presentation of awards by ice hockey reporter Dave Eaton.

Group matches: Swindon 2, Basingstoke 0; Bracknell QB 2, Coventry 0; Streatham A 3, Bracknell FB 0; Cardiff 2, Streatham B 0; Telford 0, Slough 4; Oxford 1, Guildford 4; Bracknell QB 2, Basingstoke 0; Coventry 1, Swindon 1; Bracknell FB 0, Streatham B 0; Cardiff 1, Streatham A 0; Slough 0, Guildford 0; Telford 3, Oxford 0; Swindon 1, Bracknell QB 1; Basingstoke 1, Coventry 0; Streatham A 3, Streatham B 0; Bracknell FB 1, Cardiff 4; Telford 0, Guildford 2; Slough 7, Oxford 0; Streatham A 0, Swindon 0; Coventry 0, Cardiff 1; Bracknell QB 3, Streatham B 0; Basingstoke 1, Slough 3; Oxford 0, Bracknell FB 0; Guildford 2, Streatham A 0; Telford 3, Basingstoke 1; Cardiff 3, Oxford 0; Slough 0, Swindon 1; Streatham A 2, Coventry 0; Bracknell FB 0, Bracknell QB 4; Streatham B 0, Guildford 3; Swindon 1, Telford 0; Slough 1, Coventry 0; Bracknell FB 0, Basingstoke 1; Streatham B 1, Oxford 0; Bracknell QB 1, Streatham A 0; Slough 1, Cardiff 0; Oxford 1, Coventry 1; Swindon 2, Bracknell FB 0; Basingstoke 0, Streatham A 1; Telford 0, Bracknell QB 6; Cardiff 0, Guildford 1; Streatham B 0, Slough 8; Oxford 0, Streatham A 3; Guildford 5, Basingstoke 0; Coventry 0, Telford 0; Bracknell QB 0, Slough 0; Swindon 1, Cardiff 0; Guildford 6, Bracknell FB 0; Basingstoke 3, Streatham B 0; Telford 0, Streatham A 3; Oxford 0, Swindon 3; Guildford 2, Bracknell QB 0; Coventry 2, Streatham B 0; Cardiff 5, Telford 0; Bracknell FB 0, Slough 4; Streatham B 0, Swindon 3; Basingstoke 1, Cardiff 1; Coventry 0, Guildford 2; Bracknell QB 5, Oxford 0; Streatham A 1, Slough 1; Bracknell FB 1, Telford 4; Guildford 0, Swindon 0; Cardiff 0, Bracknell QB 1; Basingstoke 3, Oxford 0; Coventry 1, Bracknell FB 0; Streatham B 0, Telford 3.

League table (11games) 1 Guildford Lightning 20pts; 2 Bracknell Queen Bees 18pts; 3 SWINDON TOPCATS 18; 4 Slough Phantoms 17; 5 Streatham Storm A (Premier) 14; 6 Cardiff Comets 13; 7 Basingstoke Bison Ladies 9; 8 Telford Wrekin Raiders 9; 9 Coventry Phoenix 7; 10 Streatham Storm B (Div1 South) 3; 11 Bracknell Fire Bees 2; 12 Oxford University 2.

Semi-Finals Guildford 1, Slough 2; Bracknell QB 0, SWINDON 0 (Swindon won 1-0 on penalties).

U16 Combined Challenge Yellow Squad 1, Red Squad 0.

FINAL Slough Phantoms 4, Swindon TopCats 0 Top Awards Player of the Tournament: Katherine Wiggins (Guildford).

Best Netminder: Sue Hart (Swindon).

Fair Play: Bracknell Fire Bees.

Swindon MVP: Ami Merrick.

TopCats scorers Ami Merrick 11pts (8goals+3assists); Elizabeth Archer 4 (1+3); Becci Hargreaves 3 (2+1); Lyanne Diotte 3 (1+2); Sarah Jane Davies, Line Voss, Janine Townsend, Jennifer Armstrong all 2pts (1goal+1assist); Ruth Leopald 1 (0+1).