A RETURN to home ice helped Swindon Wildcats get back to winning ways in the National League on Saturday night as they triumphed 4-1 over Bracknell Bees.

Aaron Nell’s side had to go on the road for each of their four previous fixtures, and they came off second best in all of them.

But a first match in front of their vocal support at the Link Centre since December 14 proved the perfect tonic for Swindon as they got back to form.

Cats player-coach Nell said: “We are very relieved to win. It has been a long couple of weeks not being at home and not winning too. I am very happy for the team.

“It wasn’t our best game but it was never going to be with the situation we are in at the moment. It was good to get two points.

“In the last two games especially, we have committed to playing good defence. That’s not just the defence men, when our forwards defend well, we are a dangerous team.

“Renny (Marr, netminder) made some big saves in the first period to keep us in there when we were struggling a little bit.

“We are very happy to get two points and it is good to have that winning feeling again.”

The teams were evenly matched over the opening period at the Link Centre and just one goal arrived as Tyler VanKleef fired Swindon into a narrow 1-0 lead.

Cats coach Nell swiftly doubled his side’s advantage as the second session got under way and the hosts looked in total control just after the half-hour mark when Sam Bullas made it 3-0.

However, Swindon would have something to think about during the break ahead of the final period as Bracknell reduced the arrears through Dominic Gabaj to cut the gap to 3-1.

But any doubts in the Cats camp were put to bed early in the third period as Nell struck his second goal of the game to make the points safe.

Swindon are back on the road on Sunday night when they travel to London side Raiders.