AARON Nell wants Swindon Wildcats to steer clear of the mistakes made in their previous meetings with Peterborough Phantoms this term when the sides do battle once again at the Link Centre tonight.

The Wildcats have enjoyed a largely successful campaign to date across all competitions but it is the Phantoms who have proven their nemesis.

They are the only team to defeat Nell’s men on their own ice – winning 5-4 on November 5 – and notched up a fifth victory in as many meetings between the sides since early September with a 6-2 success in Peterborough last Saturday.

However, the hosts will go into the encounter in good spirits following back-to-back NIHL Cup victories over Basingstoke Bison on Tuesday and Wednesday, the latter arriving courtesy of penalty shots after the contest ended 3-3.

Looking ahead to tonight’s game, player-coach Nell said: “Peterborough have had the better of us so far this season but we’re going to try and put that right in front of our home crowd.

“The biggest difference between the teams in the games we’ve had has been discipline. We’ve conceded more power-play goals at key times and will need to address that.

“Last Saturday we were okay for large parts of the game and didn’t take advantage. Then we got into penalty trouble and those are the mistakes we need to avoid because they are a good team with a good coach. We’ll need to be at our best to beat them on Friday night.”

Wildcats go into the NIHL South One contest in third position, one place and five points behind Phantoms having played a game fewer.

They will be without the services of forward Chris Jones, who broke his hand during the pre-Christmas victory over Cardiff Fire and is not expected to return until late January.

There is little respite ahead for Nell’s otherwise fully-fit squad, who travel to Berkshire tomorrow night the first in a series of three successive games against Bracknell Bees (6pm).

That game and the one at the Link Centre on New Year’s Day (4pm) take place in the NIHL Cup, a competition in which the Wildcats have already secured a spot in the next round while the Bees prop up the Group D table.

But Nell said: “It’s important to put everything into every game and we’ll keep things settled. I’m happy with how things are going.

“Hopefully we’ll get a good result on Friday and then look to keep it going against Bracknell.”