Lukas Smital’s men showed character at The Hive on Sunday night, but were ultimately outclassed 4-1 by a strong Peterborough Phantoms side.

Both sides started well but the visitors took advantage of a powerplay after Pavel Strycek was ordered off the ice for hooking, with Luke Ferrara opening the scoring in the fifth minute.

Tempers soon flared with Bees’ star James Galazzi knocking Greg Pick to the ground after the pair dropped gloves, with both men sent from the ice for roughing.

The Bees got off to a quick start in the second period and quickly levelled up the scoring with a good pass from Lukas Smital to Radek Hubacek, who shot and found the back of the net after just 11 seconds.

The Bees had a number of chances to take the lead, with JJ Pitchley having a two-on-one chance, but he shot high. With the puck bouncing off the plexi and back down the ice, the Phantoms broke quickly and Donatas Kumeliauskas put the visitors 2-1 in front.

Lewis Turner could have levelled for the Bees, but he also shot high, and in a tetchey contest, Scott Spearing and Will Weldon were both penalised following a minor scuffle.

Bracknell began the third period well, with Smital missing an opportunity, but the Phantoms extended their lead through Edgars Bebris shortly after.

Galazzi and Spearing were then both sent to the stands to leave Bees defending a five-on-three powerplay, but they held off the Phantoms. However, James Ferrara sealed the game for the visitors with less than eight minutes remaining as he netted Peterborough’s fourth goal to consign Bracknell to a seventh straight loss.

The Bees had endured a heavy defeat the night before as they went down to a 4-0 reverse at rivals Basingstoke Bison.

Joe Greener opened the scoring in the first period, and the hosts doubled the lead in the second stanza through Ciaran Long. Joe Rand and Andrew Melachrino completed the rout with goals in the last 15 minutes.

The Bees are now 12 points behind eighth-placed Milton Keynes.

They travel to Swindon Wildcats on Saturday (6pm) before hosting Guildford Flames on Sunday (6pm).