BRACKNELL Bees received a well-deserved standing ovation from their supporters at the end of the game despite losing 8-4 to Guildford Flames at The Hive, writes Dave Wright.

They pushed the EIPHL play-off and League Cup winners all the way in a highly entertaining game last Sunday.

Battling Bees were very much in the game when Luka Basic pulled the score back to 4-6 with less than 13 minutes remaining.

But that was the nearest they got to causing an upset, as Flames flickered strongly in the closing stages, scoring twice in the last seven minutes.

The scoreline was a little harsh on Bees, but the Surrey stars shone brighter on the night, with their finishing being sharper and defending more solid.

Having been battered 8-1 by Basingstoke Bison the previous night, Bees netminder Alex Mettam soon realised he was in for another busy night, making an early top-drawer save from Ben Campbell.

There was just two minutes and 35 seconds on the clock, when they had Krystof Kafan sent to the sin-bin for unsporting behaviour and 27 seconds later Bees fell behind to a goal from Marek Maslonka.

Ten minutes later it was 2-0 when Bracknell were caught out down their left side, allowing fellow import Matic Kralj to set up the chance for Ben Campbell.

Mettam saved well from Marcus Kristofferson, but openings were also coming at the other end with James Galazzi, Martin Pavlicek and Carl Thompson all going close.

Bees eventually got the goal they deserved when, after swiftly breaking from their own half, with David Gaborcik and Thompson setting up Basic.

However, within four minutes, at 36:48, they found themselves trailing by two goals again, with Kralj securing a delayed-penalty goal and 90 seconds later it became 4-1 courtesy of Jens Eriksson.

Scott Spearing finished off good link-up play by Lukas Smital and Harvey Stead to pull a goal back on 40:55.

There then came a goal at both ends in the space of 12 seconds with Campbell scoring Guildford’s fifth and Smital Bracknell’s third with Stead getting another assist.

The goal flurry continued with Campbell completing his hat-trick on 45:43 and birthday-boy Barker making it 4-6 at 47:17 with Basic and Galazzi prising open the visitors’ blue-line men.

As tempers flared, the sin-bin became a busy place with four home players and as many opponents all paying a visit at various times between 45:18 and 52:38.

The final goal on the night came from Guildford’s Maslonka with just over a minute remaining.

That meant Bees had conceded eight goals for the second night running, following an 8-1 defeat at Basingstoke on Saturday.

Basic took just over 30 seconds to cancel out Bison’s 3:37 opening goal, but it became 3-1 after 14:32.

The hosts added another two goals in the second period and it was 5-1 with less than 15 minutes remaining.

But Bees’ defence then crumbled as they let in three goals on 45:56, 48:54 and 49:21, during which ex-Bee Shaun Thompson completed his hat-trick.

So a second successive blank weekend leaves Bracknell pointless from four games.

But that record is matched by Manchester Phoenix – their opponents this coming weekend.

The sides meet at the Fylde Coast Ice Arena, Blackpool, on Saturday (4.30pm) and at The Hive on Sunday (6pm).