SWINDON Wildcats rounded off their programme of fixtures in the NIHL South One regular season with a 6-5 victory away at Milton Keynes Thunder on Sunday night.

Aaron Nell’s side had clinched the title 24 hours earlier with a win at home to Bracknell Bees but were still able to finish the season with a flourish despite those celebrations.

Goals from Toms Rutkis and Luc Johnson gave the visitors a 2-0 cushion in the first period before player-coach Nell added a third early in the second session.

Although Thunder pulled a goal back, Swindon held onto a two-goal cushion heading into the final period.

MK were first to strike as they cut the deficit to one goal before further efforts from Max Birbraer, a second for Nell and Chris Jones put Swindon back in the driving seat at 6-2.

A trio of unanswered Thunder goals in the closing stages brought them back into the game and meant the unlikely prospect of overtime began to come into view, but the Cats dug in to seal the win.