PLAYER-COACH Aaron Nell admits his side weren't clinical enough as they were beaten 5-2 by Basingstoke Bison at the Link Centre.

The hosts made a great start to the game and took the lead through Edgar Bebris, before Bison levelled up proceedings at the end of the first period through Roman Maliník.

The second period was a damaging one for the home side, who shipped three goals as Joshua Smith, Daniel Davies and Ivan Antonov all added their names to the scoresheet.

Chris Jones went some way to restore the deficit in the third, however, after pulling netminder Renny Marr, Tomas Karpov sealed the deal with a late strike.

The result means the Cats have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, something which frustrated Nell after his side made such a good start.

"We are bitterly disappointed with that result. We started the game really well, it might have been the best first period we have played all year," he said.

"We looked really good, got a silly penalty and they got a good goal. It shouldn't have taken it out of us, but I think it did.

"At the start of the second period we were flat. I think they executed better in front of goal and their goalkeeper played very well.

"After the first period, should have been in a commanding position. We have to learn from that.

“The second period cost us again. We had some good possession, we were never getting to the net enough.

“We switched off at our end and they didn’t, that was the difference in the game."

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Nell says there wasn’t a lack of effort from his troops who face Bracknell Bees on Sunday evening.

“Their top guys executed and we didn’t. We had them where we wanted them in the third period, with an early goal,” he added.

“I think we froze a little bit. We had two powerplays in the third period and they were horrendous.

“It’s (the result) has put us in a tough spot with the league, but we have too much to play for.

“We have the two cup competitions and the play-offs so we are going to keep pushing. That is the first time all year where we have lost two in a row, we won’t make it three.”