CONCEDING four goals inside the opening 10 minutes saw Bracknell Bees beaten again by Manchester Phoenix on Sunday.
Despite producing a valiant fightback at the Hive, with Vanya Antonov, Alex Barker, Carl Thompson and Lukas Smital all adding their names to the scoresheet, it was this shocking start which proved to be the difference between the two sides.
“It was a really slow start and I think that cost us in the end,” said forward Thompson, who rattled in goal number three on 33 minutes.
“We’re 3-0 down within three minutes and it was a big hill to climb.
“Fortunately in the second period we came out quite quick, but just couldn’t cut it in the end. It’s tough.
“That is sport for you. It’s literally if you get caught off the back line like that it is tough to fight back from. You take those first four goals out of it, or you give them just one out of that and it is a different game.
“We won the second period 3-1. It would have been nice to do that in the third, but that is hockey.”
Bees, surprisingly, would out-shoot their opponents on the night having peppered Phil Spanswick in the Phoenix goal with some 48 attempts compared to the 30 opposite number Alex Mettam had to deal with.
It is, however, the tallies totted up on the scoreboard which matter the most, and it was once again difficult reading for a Bracknell side defeated for the 38th this term.
While the campaign has been difficult for everyone involved, the first 10 minutes was truly the stuff of nightmares.
The contest was just 11 seconds old when Robin Kovar stole in over on the right wing and sprayed the puck to the opposite side of the rink, where an unmarked Martin Baranek broke the deadlock with a close-range finish.
Things would get even worse for the home side just moments later when Kovar lit the lamp at the second attempt as Bees were caught out by a fluid counter attack.
The Czech forward was doubling his tally just 11 seconds later.
The hosts were again without the influential and injured Lewis Turner in defence, and his absence was clearly being felt as Manchester stormed forward once more, where Kovak was on hand to finish off the move at the far post.
It was all far too easy for Tony Hand’s men, and with a rout on the cards player-coach Smital took action and called a time out in an attempt to rally his beleaguered troops.
His words would have some affect on the side, who were once again short-benched due to injuries and unavailability, and they were soon making a fist of things.
The chance to claw back a goal on the power play after Phoenix’s Luke Boothroyd was pulled up for holding came and went, although Smital and Antonov did work Spanswick with respective chances.
Attack was the home side’s best form of defence, but when Kovar was again presented with a sight of the pipework in the 10th minute, he was celebrating a hat-trick.
And it was some strike by the player who, having received a pass from Ben Russell, sent a curling strike from the blueline through a clutch of bodies, beyond Mettam and into the top shelf.
Manchester had barely broken into a sweat, yet they were already out of reach of the opposition with still some 50 minutes remaining – or so it seemed.
They would not breach the Bees again during the remainder of the session, although Spanswick was not to be beaten either, despite the best efforts of both Thompson and Smital, meaning Bracknell had now gone four periods without hitting the net.
That, however, was to change just 38 seconds after the restart when a hopeful punt forward by Thompson was turned home by Antonov, who was lurking at the far post.
The young forward put his team on the board when notching on a power play awarded for Manchester having too many men on the ice.
It was just desserts for a Bracknell side not only growing in spirit, but in momentum too, and they would cut the arrears even further on 24:24 when Barker profited from Spanswick being unable to hold a Josh Tetlow drive from distance.
The forward needed no second invitation to score, tucking away the rebound via a first-time effort from just outside the crease.
It was the Phoenix who now found themselves against the ropes, and it was amid a similar scenario when the lead was cut to just a single goal.
Carl Graham had no right to shoot from where he did over on the right side, but Spanswick again could only parry the strike.
With no D-men in sight, Thompson sensed his moment, skating on to the loose puck before sending it across the netminder and into the corner with aplomb.
The same player had a glorious chance to complete the unlikeliest of comebacks just seconds later, but was this time over with the opportunity.
Bracknell were now smelling blood and were looking the more likely to go on and make it 4-4. However, losing Antonov to a tripping minor would prove a pivotal moment.
The hosts were looking to capitalise from a power play of their own when the forward was pulled up for the infringement, and he would have to watch on as Jacob Carson-Heron flashed a slap-shot past Mettam and calm any nerves creeping into the camp.
It would also swing momentum back the way of the visitors, who inflicted more pain on their guests when Stanislav Gron stroked in a sixth early in the final session.
But back came Bees and they would finally make one of their 24 strikes at goal during the last 20 minutes count when James Galazzi and Antonov combined to set up Smital, who finished well over on the right side.
It was another Bracknell goal struck while boasting the extra man, as Trent Hope was binned for a high stick.
Unfortunately for the coach and his players, the effort would ultimately prove in vain.
While eventually giving Manchester a real scare, it was the away side who would have the final say when Michael Satek wrapped up the scoring six minutes from time.
Gron was the architect, determinedly keeping hold of the puck as he made his way from deep, taking it all the way around the goal before squaring for his team-mate to produce the telling touch.
Thompson, who hit a post not long after, added: “It is frustrating. On another day those (shots) go in and we could have won 8-5 or something – you never know. It is just a bad day.
“The amount of shots we had on that goalie – we stood on his head – we should have got something out of it.”
Bees go again on Friday, where they are at Hull Pirates for a game rearranged from last week (6pm).
They head north once more when guests of Sheffield Steeldogs on Saturday (6.30pm) before Peterborough Phantoms visit the Hive the following day (6pm).
