The Czech, who signed from Milton Keynes Lightning in the summer, scored 11 goals in 24 appearances before he was released by Bees on Sunday.

He is the third highest scorer for the club this season but only fifth on the points table, behind Rob Lamey, Lukas Smital, Ollie Bronnimann and Shaun Thompson.

The move to release him comes just a fortnight after head coach Gareth Cox was sacked for financial reasons.

But Cross told the News: “We are sorry to see Kamil depart because he was a popular player at the club, but when we reviewed the playing roster it was clear that he was not providing value for money.

“He was brought in to provide goals and add to the British forwards we already had. We would expect our import forwards to be leading, not trailing our British forwards.

“It was not for the lack of trying on his part. He put 100% into every training session and game but it just didn’t work out.” Although Tvrdek has not made the expected impact at Bees, his departure will still be a blow to the team at this stage of the season.

Cross, though, says there are no immediate plans to sign a replacement import and is confident the club can still achieve their goals.

“At this stage, we are not immediately recruiting a replacement import,” he said. “I believe the roster we have is more than capable of making the play-offs and that is our aim this season.

“There is a lot said about having four imports but we beat Manchester 8-2 without Jan Bendik and we beat Basingstoke away without Kamil Tvrdek.

“If we can repeat the overall performance in the first half of the season in the second half of the season, we will have achieved our first season goal of reaching the play-offs.” Bees’ first game without Tvrdek is at Basingstoke Bison this Saturday (6.30pm f/o) followed by a home match with the same opponents on Sunday (6pm f/o).

And for head coach Lukas Smital, the matches are an opportunity for players to step up and fill the hole left by the Czech.

“Losing Kamil was a blow, so we need everybody to come together and step up,” he told the News. “It was a decision that needed to be made and we have to get on with it.

“I see it as a chance for someone else to step up. We are in the situation and are going to be a forward short, but it’s a chance for a youngster perhaps to step up, and that’s what we will look forward to and see what the team brings.

“We have to focus on what is happening on the ice. We are going to have a committed team and they will do their best and play to the best of their ability every week.” * BEES legend Matt Cote will be attending this Sunday’s game against Bison and performing a ceremonial puck drop at the beginning of the game.

Cote played for the club for 10 years, from 1990 to 2001 across three different leagues and amassed over 500 appearances for the Bees.

He is one of only two players to have their shirt number retired by the club.