BRACKNELL Bees were soundly beaten by the Swindon Wildcats in the M4 Derby Series last weekend, falling to a 16-5 aggregate defeat.

However, the Bees did put in a much-improved performance to only lose 4-3 on Sunday, in a game switched to the Slough Ice Arena due to ongoing problems at the John Nike Leisure Centre.

After an entertaining opening, the Wildcats took the lead through Jan Kostal, and they held on to that advantage until the end of the period.

The Bees started the second period well and it was against the run of play that the Wildcats extended the lead, Sam Bullas finishing a breakaway opportunity.

It was 3-0 six minutes into the second stanza as Corey McEwen finished off a pin-point pass from Aaron Nell.

The Bees stuck to their task well, though, and opened their account through Frantisek Bakrlik before player-coach Lukas Smital made it 3-2.

However, Sami Ryhanen again finished off another Wildcats break and it was 4-2 at the end of the second period, and although Bakrlik netted, the Wildcats held on for the win.

The previous evening was something of a disaster for the Bees as they crashed to a 12-2 humiliation.

The Wildcats were 6-0 up by the end of the opening 20 minutes as Tomasz Malasinski (two), McEwen , Bullas, Rynhanen and Aaron Nell all netted.

They made it 7-0 through Miroslav Zalesak on a breakaway but Bees man-of-the-match Matt Towalski and Fowler cut the gap shortly after.

However, a further treble from Nell took his tally to four for the night and made it 10-2 at the end of the stanza.

Further goals from Bullas and Malasinski completed the rout in the last period.

The Bees begin their English Premier Ice Hockey League season with a trip to Milton Keynes Lightning on Saturday (7pm), before hosting Sheffield Steeldogs on Sunday (6pm).

The home game will be played at The Hive. Tickets are available on the door on Sunday evening or by calling the rink reception on 01344 789000.