BRACKNELL Bees suffered a first home defeat of the season as they slipped to a 4-2 reverse against Manchester Phoenix on Saturday.

The hosts made a dream start in their English Premier Ice Hockey League as Callum Fowler netted for the Bees in the fourth minute after being found well by Frantisek Bakrlik.

Phoenix hit back on a powerplay after Matt Foord was called for hooking, the visiting side netting through Nico Aaltonen.

However, the Bees took the lead once more almost straight from the next face off as Josh Smith made his way through the Phoenix defence and finished well.

The home side maintained the lead until five minutes from the end of the opening stanza, Robin Kovar again levelling after a pass from behind the net by Michal Satek.

The period saw no further goals as both teams kept their opposing net minder active.

The second stanza began with the game becoming an increasingly end-to-end affair, but it was Phoenix who went in front for the first time when James Neil found the net with a long range shot.

Just three minutes later Manchester extended their lead as Satek finished off a chance created by James Archer, and they could have added more but for some fine saves from Bees’ netminder Alex Mettam.

Bracknell began the third period well but were unable to find the target again, and the highlight of the final stanza was a brawl which resulted in Kovar being ejected for spearing Bees’ player-coach Lukas Smital, followed by the home side’s James Galazzi and Scott Spearing for reacting.

Man-of-the-match awards went to Jan Bendik for the home side Bees and to Satek for the visiting Phoenix.

A frustrating weekend for the Bees was completed on Sunday as they lost 3-2 at Telford Tigers.

James Silverthorn put the home side in front early on, finishing off a move between Sam Zajac and Peter Szabo before striking past Mettam.

Foord equalised before the end of the first period, but Max Birbraer put Tigers back in front while the goal scorer was off for slashing.

Bakrlik levelled for the Bees but they suffered late heartbreak as Joe Miller’s goal with less than a minute of the match remaining earned the home side the victory.

Bracknell Bees visit Hull Pirates on Saturday (5.30pm), before hosting Guildford Flames on Sunday (6pm).