BASINGSTOKE Bison closed the gap on second placed Peterborough Phantoms to two points, as they beat them 5-2 in Cambridgeshire.

Ciaran Long scored the Herd’s opening goal on the powerplay at 24:02, after former bison Marc Levers took a hooking penalty.

The lead lasted just 19 seconds, as Edgars Bebris levelled for the home side.

Long netted his second of the game soon after and then Aaron Connolly netted another on the powerplay to make it 3-1 at 32:38.

Darius Pliskauskas pulled a goal back from Peterborough, but Andy Melachrino finished a move involving Grant Rounding and Karpov to make it 4-2 at the second buzzer.

The home side pulled their goalie in the final minute and Melachrino fired into the empty net with 18 seconds to make sure of the victory.

The sides meet again on Saturday when Peterborough travel to Basingstoke (face-off 6.30pm) and then on Sunday night Invicta are the visitors (face-off 5.30pm).