MATCH REPORT: Another fine win but another injury blow

The city side - without a host of sidelined senior players - triumphed 4-1 in Swindon.

But their already depleted defensive ranks were left even lighter on numbers when Robbie Ferrara was forced off in the opening period with a nasty facial cut that required hospital treatment.

Ferrara was on the receiving end of an ugly hit from Swindon import Max Birbraer, who was quite rightly thrown out by referee Stefan Hogarth.

Phantoms already led at that point thanks to a Darius Pliskauskas opener and they doubled their advantage through Marc Levers during the five-minute powerplay that followed the expulsion of Birbraer.

Hosts Swindon halved their arrears early in the second session when Tomasz Malasinski fired past netminder Adam Long, but Ales Padelek restored the two-goal gap just before the mid-point of the contest.

And victory was put beyond doubt when Edgars Bebris lit the lamp in the final session.

And a result elsewhere also went in Phantoms’ favour as fourth-placed Basingstoke were beaten in Guildford.

That gives Phantoms a four-point cushion over Bison in the standings.

Phantoms have games against teams at opposite ends of the EPL table this weekend.

They host bottom side Bracknell at Planet Ice on Saturday (February 18, 7pm) before heading to table-toppers Telford the following night (6pm).

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

SWINDON

23:14 Malasinski ass: Richardson/Hoog

PHANTOMS

4:28 Pliskauskas ass: Griffiths/Archer

15:23 Levers (PP) ass: Norton/Bebris

29:12 Padelek ass: Stepanek

51:52 Bebris ass: Norton/Levers

Men-of-the-match

SWINDON - Ben Nethersell

PHANTOMS - Marc Levers