WILDCATS player-coach Ryan Aldridge has urged his troops to fight on in the race for the final English Premier League play-off spot.

Swindon beat Sheffield 4-2 on Saturday and took a point from a 6-5 overtime defeat at bottom side Romford tonight, to close the gap on rivals Bracknell by a point.

The Link Centre side face an uphill task if they are to make the play-offs, with Saturday’s clash against the visiting Bees looking set to play a huge part in the battle to secure eighth place.

“It’s getting tougher and tougher but we can’t give up,” said Aldridge, following the loss to Romford.

“You never know what’s going to happen in the rest of the games. We aren’t writing ourselves off.”

It was so nearly a dream weekend for Swindon, with Bracknell at one stage trailing 4-3 to Peterborough this evening and looking set to take no points from their two games, having lost 6-1 against the same outfit yesterday.

But the Berkshire side levelled before stealing the victory in overtime, to deal a hammer blow to Cats’ play-off hopes.

Swindon got off to the ideal start at Romford tonight when Joe Baird’s shot was parried by Euan King, and Sam Bullas was on hand to rifle home.

A defensive slip-up from Jan Krajicek allowed the hosts back into it, as Danny Marshall levelled the scores at 5.17, and almost immediately, the same player found the top corner to make it 2-1.

Joe Baird crashed a shot against the crossbar before Marshall and Dean Tonks scored for Romford at the start of the second period.

Cats rallied and at 28.50 Aaron Nell hit a shot over the shoulder of gloveman King to bring it back to 4-2. Midway through the second, with Cats short-handed, Lee Richardson broke away and cheekily slid the puck underneath King.

Swindon then equalised minutes into the final period, when Krajicek hit a lightning strike at 43.31 that beat King all ends up.

Romford re-took the lead exactly two minutes later in controversial fashion when with Wildcats appealing for a slashing penalty, Darius Pliskauskas countered and beat Douglas.

Once again the scores were even at 53.43 when Jason Cassells’ centred pass was drilled high into the net by Raimonds Danilics.

At 61.24, Romford got their winner, again in controversial circumstances. Bullas appeared to be hooked but no penalty was given and in the ensuing three-on-one, Matt Turner shot under Douglas to make it 6-5.

Yesterday, Cats beat Sheffield 4-2 as Matt Foord, Gareth Endicott, Aaron Nell and Jason Cassells found the net.