The win, added to the point for taking Peterborough Phantoms to overtime on Saturday, means Lukas Smital’s side move to within a point of Swindon Wildcats as they look to move off the bottom of the table.

More than 2,800 fans were packed inside the Hive on Sunday for the best performance of the season from Bees, who led from 89 seconds onwards.

Vanya Antonov got the hosts off to the perfect start when he fired the puck into the top corner, past Gregg Rockman in the Flames goal to send the large crowd wild.

An exhilirating game was end-to-end but Bees were happy with their lead and careful not to give it away cheaply, meaning that the first period ended with just the sole Antonov score.

Pavel Strycek came close to doubling the lead early in the second period, but it trickled wide of the post with Rockman beaten.

Tom Duggan then drilled an effort against the post for the visitors, but it was Bracknell who took advantage of a powerplay to double their lead.

Radek Hubacek centred the puck and Antonov was on hand to guide it home to make it 2-0.

Moments later and it was 3-0 as Hubacek scored himself, breaking clear and moving it wide of Rockman before firing home a third.

Bees were in total control and Smital’s side were living up to the adulation they were receiving from the crowd.

Any thoughts of a fightback from the Flames were put to one side early in the third period as Smital charged wide of his marker with the puck before firing home from a tight angle to make it 4-0.

With the game over, it became a physical battle as numerous niggly fouls threatened to spill over - and did - when James Galazzi and Andy Mckinney dropped the gloves to settle a dispute.

Both players received a roughing infringement, before a large ruckus broke out after a high challenge on Alex Mettam when he tried to collect the puck out of the air.

Bees did lose their shutout when Flames pulled one back through Marcus Kristoffersson, but it was merely a consolation as Bracknell saw the game out to pick up a vital and comprehensive win.

l The result followed on from a strong performance from Smital’s side the previous night at Peterborough Phantoms.

Bees showed great resilience to fight back from a goal down three times to level the score at 3-3 at the end of the third period.

Darius Pliskauskas scored twice for the hosts, along with a Edgars Apelis strike, but Smital scored two of his own, and under-18 prospect Josh Smith scored the third equaliser.

But Bees were beaten in overtime when Marc Levers won the game for Phantoms, meaning Bees would get just one point for their efforts.

Smital’s men face back-to-back away games this weekend, with a trip to Basingstoke Bison on Saturday (6.30pm) before visiting league leaders Telford Tigers on Sunday (5.30pm).