SWINDON Wildcats will be hoping to give Milton Keynes Lightning a shock when they head to the Link Centre tonight.

The Cats have gone five league games at home without a win but coach Ryan Aldridge is confident that if his side continue where they left off against Basingstoke Bison on Sunday, they can end that run.

Lightning will have new signing Chris Wiggins, who has arrived from Bracknell Bees, in their side and Aldridge knows that they will need to keep a close eye on the 27-year-old.

“They’ve obviously got Wiggins in the line-up and that is going to be a big spark for them,” said Aldridge.

“They haven’t been training on a proper ice rink for a long time - they are now and I am sure they are working hard this week in practice.

“It’s probably a good time to play them but it is going to be a hell of a match, there is no doubt about it. We need to be on top form and play like we did against Bison.”

Aldridge opted to not talk to the media after Saturday’s 5-2 defeat against Sheffield Steeldogs as he gave his players a dressing down in the changing room after the game.

Swindon’s performance was so disappointing it had the head coach, who played 19 games last season, wanting to get back on the ice to put things right.

Aldridge opted not to put his skates on and instead saw a much-improved performance against Basingstoke, a match the Cats were unlucky to lose.

“On Saturday night I was wishing I was playing, but then a game like Sunday I couldn’t play in,” said Aldridge.

“It is funny how up and down these two nights have been, so you are feeling for the boys, but we know we need to be gritty in front of that net and if we were a bit more gritty, maybe we would have scored.

“I think, especially at home, we’ve got to start focusing on taking it to teams.

“Maybe we have been worried when teams are coming in, how we’ve got to play them, and we have just got to play our style and go at them.

“If we play like we did against Basingstoke, it is anybody’s game.”