BASINGSTOKE Bison remain top of the English Premier League table despite suffering a penalty-shots defeat at the hands of Guildford Flames on Saturday.

A tight game ended 1-1 and when overtime was unable to separate the pair, penalty shots were required, and it was the visitors who snatched victory.

However, the Bison bounced back to winning ways last night, claiming a 7-2 victory away at English National League side Invicta Dynamos in the English Challenge Cup.

There was a surprise in the Herd line-up for Saturday’s match, with Michael Wales returning sooner than expected after a broken ankle he suffered towards the end of last season. However, Ciaran Long sat the game out due to injury.

The Flames made the perfect start when the match got under way. Owen Fussey tested Bison netminder Dean Skinns in the first minute and the visitors grabbed the lead with just 1:37 on the clock.

Matt Towe was the scorer, firing past a defenceman and beyond Skinns after good build-up play from Ollie Bronnimann and Paul Dixon.

Guildford continued to press after scoring but it was the Bison who had the next clear chance, Tomas Karpov forcing a save out of Gregg Rockman in the Flames goal.

The hosts then enjoyed almost two minutes of a five-on-three powerplay, but were unable to take advantage, with Rockman saving from Karpov and Miroslav Vantroba hitting the frame of the goal.

The hosts had another big chance when Doug Sheppard stole the puck from Danny Mayers and found himself through on goal, but Rockman made the save.

Skinns then made an excellent reflex save to deny Tom Duggan and though both sides had penalties called against them in the closing stages of the period, there were no more goals before the first break.

Skinns was called into action early in the second period, denying Marcus Kristofferson with his pads as the Bison killed off a couple of penalties.

The teams traded chances and penalties throughout the second period, with Karpov hitting the outside of the post for the Bison and Skinns denying both Duggan and Kristofferson.

Skinns then made three top saves in the space of 20 seconds to keep his side in the match, while the final opportunity of the period fell to Andy Melachrino, but Rockman made the save.

Both netminders were called into action early in the final period, with Skinns making an especially important save to deny Ben Campbell.

Guildford then lost Sam Godfrey to a 2+10 penalty for checking to the head and while the hosts were unable to score during the powerplay, they did pull level with him out of the game.

The goal was scoed at 47:13, Wales and Karpov combining to create a chance for Joe Greener, who fired the puck into the roof of the net.

The same player had a chance to put his side ahead soon after, breaking with Stuart Mogg, but Rockman was able to save.

Guildford also went close to winning the game when Campbell’s backhanded shot rattled the post, while the Flames’ Campbell and Basingstoke’s Karpov had chances to secure the second point in overtime.

However, neither side was able to make the breakthrough, while the first four penalties of the shoot-out also failed to find the net.

Guildford’s Towe and the Bison’s Joe Rand fired their sides’ opening efforts off-target, while Skinns then saved Duggan’s effort and Rockman denied Karpov.

David Longstaff became the first player to score, firing through Skinn’s legs to leave Greener needing to find the net to take the shoot-out to sudden death. The forward was up to the challenge, firing home off the inside of the post.

Branislav Kvetan made it three successful conversions in a row next up and Sheppard was unable to respond, scuffing his effort wide to hand Guildford victory.

The Bison responded well in the cup last night, twice coming from behind to claim a comfortable victory over English National League opponents Invicta Dynamos in Kent.

Player/coach Sheppard was unable to play due to the rules of the competition, while Karpov also sat the game out as the visitors were only able to ice two imports.

Joe Baird and Greener were also rested, while Long remained sidelined through injury, with youngster Alex Sampford coming into the line-up.

The hosts opened the scoring at 4:25, Callum Fowler netting from Andrew Smith and former Bison Greg Chambers, but the Herd levelled at 14:05, Mogg and Cam Wynn combining for Sampford to net his first Bison goal.

Parity lasted little more than a minute as Juraj Haska put Invicta back ahead, with Anthony Leone and Steven Osman getting the assists. It was a lead they maintained until the first buzzer, while the Bison lost Aaron Connolly to a match penalty for spearing at 18:55.

Rand levelled the game at 26:14, assisted by Wynn and Melachrino, and Basingstoke went ahead for the first time two minutes later, Wales and Declan Balmer combining for Nicky Chinn to score.

Grant Rounding made it 4-2 at the second buzzer, with Rand getting the assist, while the Bison scored three further unanswered goals in the final period.

Rand got the first, with Melachrino getting the helper, while an unassisted goal for Rounding made it 6-2. Rand completed his hat-trick in the closing stages, assisted by Chinn.

SCORING

Bison v Flames

Bison: Greener 1+0, Karpov, Wales 0+1. Flames: Towe 1+0, Dixon, Bronnimann 0+1.

Shots on goal: Skinns 32, Rockman 34.

Penalties: Bison 10min, Flames 22.

Dynamos v Bison

Dynamos: Fowler, Huska 1+0, Chambers, Smith, Leone, Osman 0+1. Bison: Rand 3+1, Rounding 2+0, Chinn 1+1, Sampford 1+0, Melachrino, Wynn 0+2, Wales, Balmer, Mogg 0+1.

Shots on goal: Douglas 65, Skinns 18.

Penalties: Dynamos 4min, Bison 31.