Bison struggle to get run of wins together

BASINGSTOKE, UK – The Basingstoke Bison suffered another frustrating weekend with just one point to show for their efforts as once again they narrowly lost two games.   On Saturday night, it was an overtime defeat to a Swindon Wildcats team who snapped a seven game losing streak, then on home ice on Sunday the Herd went down 4-2 to the visiting Slough Jets. In the game against the ‘Cats, the Bison clawed their way back from 2-0 in the first period to tie the game with six minutes left. All four goals were scored on special teams as Jan Krajicek and Jozef Kohut netted for Swindon on the powerplay and then Ondej Lauko, a prominent member of the Bison PP unit, grabbed a brace. At that point Basingstoke look set to snatch a victory, but instead Aaron Nell scored on the first shift in OT to secure the win. “They were probably the better team in the first period, but I felt we came right back in the game and it was disappointing to lose it in overtime,” said Bison player-coach Steve Moria.    The Bison were minus their normal three injured players Scott Spearing, Kurt Reynolds and Tony Redmond and for the visit of high flying Slough captain Nicky Chinn was added to the list being suspended after picking up match penalty for high sticks as he accidentally caught Krajicek in the face on Saturday night. That left the team with four players out of their line-up, as they faced one of the in-form teams in the English Premier League. Only a great first period from Bison goalie Tom Annetts kept the Bison from being buried by the time they squared the match at the first buzzer. Slough had taken the lead on the five-on-three powerplay from Paddy Ward, only for that man Lauko to equalise on the powerplay. The Bison converted their fourth powerplay on the trot in middle session as the impressive Andrew Hemmings netted, only for the Jets to equalise within the minute from Dan Davies. Having weathered the Jets all out attack in the first 20 minutes, the game was now an even affair. The visitors just had the edge, but the Bison looking dangerous with the chances they created. The game looked set to go to overtime, when Slough scored twice in the space of 39 seconds thanks to Joe Greener and Peter Poljacek and there was no way back for the Herd. “I can’t fault the effort of the players against Slough. We are suffering with injuries and of course Chinny (Nicky Chinn) was a big miss as well. I think any team that has four guys out of their line-up is going to suffer. We hope to have Scott Spearing back maybe this weekend and the other guys soon after that,” said Moria    With captain Chinn out of the line-up on Sunday, Tom Long took over the role of captain, having missed the previous week himself with illness. “It is nice to wear the C, but Chinny is the man and he will be back next week. I think we really played well tonight for a team which is suffering with illness and injuries. I was so ill last week there was no way I could have played, but its nice to be back” said captain for the night. The Slough loss was a double blow for the Bison as it doubled up as both a cup and league game and now leaves them with a lot of work to do to make the semi-finals. They will probably have win their remaining three games which are at home to Swindon and two tricky road trips to Milton Keynes and Peterborough.   Meanwhile the Jets who now top the cup standings have just a series with Swindon left and one victory from those two games would book them a semi-final place.   This weekend coming the Bison can focus just on league action as they entertain the Peterborough Phantoms, looking for only their third win this season, on home ice before the Herd face a trip to the Sheffield Scimitars where they narrowly lost last time out. Contact the author graham.merry@prhohockeynews.com