BASINGSTOKE, UK – The Bison’s hopes of climbing up the EPL standings were dealt a bitter blow last week when five players were forced out of the line-up.

They were forwards Viktor Kubenko and Liam Chong, along with defensemen Dan Harris, Sam Oakford and Tony Redmond.

That meant for the Herd trip to the Swindon Wildcats and the Milton Keynes Lighting home game with a defensive unit of just three players and one of those was club captain and forward Nicky Chinn.

The Bison would have had high hopes in Swindon leading the series 5-0-0, but they suffered a 7-5 reverse this after leading at the first break 2-1 as Steve Moria and Ollie Bronnimann found the net either side of a Aaron Nell strike.

The second session saw the ‘Cats take a 4-2 lead as Shane Moore, Nell and Jonas Hoog all score, but the short bench Bison hit back to tie the game from Kurt Reynolds and Moria.

The final session saw Hoog, Nell with his hat-trick goal and Michal Pinc take the score to 7-4, before Daniel Volrab wrapped up the game scoring for the Bison.

The following night, the Bison faced a MK side who had shut them out on their two previous visits to Basingstoke.

The Herd included teenager Cameron Wynn in their line-up and he was straight into the action icing on the opening shift and very nearly scoring.

However, after the first line change MK scored from Leigh Jamieson which was not the start they were looking for.

The Bison levelled as Reynolds scored his second of the weekend taking his tally for the season to three!.

Then in the second session Chris Wiggins tipped a Marcel Petran blue liner and Reynolds netted his second of the game to make it 3-1.

The visitors pulled a goal back from Michael Wales, but the Herd held on for the victory.

“I think we played well in both games and the guys really stepped up for the missing players. Playing Cam (Cameron Wynn) from the start meant he could not get nervous. He has a good hockey brain on him and is certainly one for the future,” said Bison player/coach Steve Moria.

On Wednesday night, the Bison welcomed back to their line-up Viktor Kubenko and Liam Chong, but were shut-out for the second time in three road games - this time in Guildford.

The leaders won the game with a goal in each period from  Milos Melicherik, former Bison Andy Hemmings and Nathan Rempel, while Mark Lee made 41 saves on his way to a shut-out.

This weekend, the Herd are hopeful that at least one more player will return from the injury list as they entertain Bracknell On Saturday, before a trip to Peterborough.

Both opponents are battling for a play-off spot so neither game will be easy and a big crowd is expected in Basingstoke for the final Bees encounter with all four previous league meeting going the way of the home side.

The Herd will be looking to keep that going and extend their recent home winning streak to four.

Then on Sunday, they will hope to snap their recent poor road form which has seen three losses and it remains to be seen if Stephen Wall will get the start against the club he left earlier this season.

Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com