Telford Tigers beaten by the 'stronger team' in Swindon Wildcats crushing, admits Tom Watkins

Tigers returned to home ice after a crucial victory on the road at Berkshire Bees the previous evening but found themselves undone by a clinical attacking performance from second-place Swindon.

Watkins said: "Swindon have a very talented, deep roster, so many threats five on five, the best defensive core in the league, big bodies and despite our best efforts that quality showed in the end. 

"They were very clinical with their finishing and we knew they had the threat of the best power play in the league which we didn't manage to contain. At the end of the second period, we came off feeling like we hadn't done much wrong but were 4-1 down. 

"I felt we emptied the tanks tonight after a very hard fought win on the road to the Bees last night which seems to have gone unnoticed. If we want to make the play-offs, those are the pressure games for us, the must wins, not tonight. 

"But that being said, we gave it everything we had. We have two forwards playing in defence right now due to injuries and then we lose Rhodes (Mitchell-King) during the game to leave us another defender down. 

"Sometimes you have to say that you were beaten by a stronger team. I know the players and myself leaving the rink feeling pretty despondent this evening despite the fact that we didn't a lot wrong."

The division's leading scorers stormed into a 2-0 lead by the end of the first period to set the tone for a difficult evening for Telford.

Tomasz Malasinski opened the scoring from Swindon's first power play chance of the game before doubling his tally on the breakaway with a shot from close-range.

Scott McKenzie converted David Thomson's low centre to half the deficit at the start of the second period but Swindon restored their two-goal lead when Ed Bradley applied a cool finish past Brad Day. 

Swindon extended their advantage further when Glenn Billing and Ryan Wells combined to give Jake Bricknell the chance to finish past Day.

Bricknell almost doubled his tally when he struck the crossbar and post in quick succession as Tigers trailed 4-1 at the end of the second period. 

The visitors sealed the deal at the start of the third period when Dylan Lipsey added the finishing touches to another dangerous Swindon breakaway. 

Chris Jones added a sixth for Swindon but Telford hit straight back when Harry Ferguson scored a consolation after some good work from Thomson sent him through on goal.

But Swindon sealed the deal with a seventh after Balint Pakozdi shot through Day's legs.