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Wildcats tamed in a vital victory - Swindon 3 Phantoms 4
SWINDON WILDCATS 3 PHANTOMS 4 English Premier League
SWINDON WILDCATS 3
PHANTOMS 4
English Premier LeagueTHE English Premier League season took another fascinating twist last night as Phantoms bounced back into the title race with a 4-3 win in Swindon.
Having lost the night before against Guildford, taking anything less than two points from this trip to Wiltshire was unthinkable for Colin Patterson's side who could not afford to slip back in the EPL title race.
Going into the game on the back of three league defeats on the bounce and after seeing Milton Keynes take second spot from them on Saturday, anything less than a victory would have been disastrous.
And while there was no repeat of the 10-0 drubbing handed out last time, goals from Callum Fowler, James Spurr and two for Nathan Rempel were enough to see Phantoms home.
Coach Patterson said: "We knew this was going to be a tough game and I told the guys to forget about what happened last time. Back then they had just got rid of their coach and the place was in a bit of disarray and we took advantage of that.
"This time round they were much more organised and while I thought we were always in control, they made us work really hard for a win.
"And it felt good to get it because we had lost a few on the bounce in the league and we knew it was vital that we didn't drop points tonight."
There was good news from elsewhere too for Patterson when he heard from Ice Sheffield where Guildford had lost to the Scimitars.
That means the top of the EPL table is currently tighter than a duck's backside at fifty fathoms after fierce rivals MK Lightning completed their second four-point weekend in a row.
Patterson added: "We can only thank Sheffield for doing us a favour and beating Guildford but we have them next Thursday so it will be just as tough for us.
"I have said for a while that this is going to go down to the wire as I don't see anyone managing to really break away now from this group.
"MK have come on strong after a great weekend but they have tough games to play and we also play them once more so that will be interesting.
"All three teams are up there to be shot at so it is just about who can cope best from here on in."
After taking the lead through Fowler inside two minutes, Phantoms held their slender advantage until early in the second period when Josef Kohut levelled things up.
But just a minute after the hosts had hauled themselves back into the game, powerplay goals for Spurr and then one for Rempel put Phantoms back in control.
Five minutes before the end of the period, Jon Sitko reduced the arrears before Rempel restored the two-goal cushion and while Aaron Nell did bag Wildcats' third five minutes into the final act, Phantoms held on for a vital away win.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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