THE Basingstoke Bison started their triple header weekend of action in the best possible fashion, with a 3-0 win over the Swindon Wildcats at the Link Centre.

The game saw the Herd give a debut to experienced hard working British forward Matt Towalski.

He was signed from Bracknell, where the 31-year-old was in his second season.

However, Towalski is best remembered for seven campaigns with the Milton Keynes Lightning where he played the bulk of his 600 English Premier League games.

He is a straight replacement for Grant Rounding, who is set to miss the rest of the season due to injury.

Also returning to the Bison line-up was head coach Doug Sheppard in place of the injured Tomas Karpov, as Joe Rand is away in Canada.

As expected this was a tough contest between two of the top sides in the EPL and the Bison’s Joe Baird was the first to test former Herd shot stopper Stevie Lyle, before Jonas Hoog did likewise with the visitor’s man of the match Jon Baston.

The first penalty of the game saw the Herd’s Joe Greener depart to the sin bin for charging Aaron Nell.

Swindon so nearly took the lead on the opening powerplay as Tomasz Malasinski just failed to touch home Nell’s blue line shot.

Soon after, the Bison were given their first man advantage of the night, and Stuart Mogg went close, before a great wrist shot from Malasinski was well saved by Baston.

As the period came to a close Lyle was called into action to first deny Ciaran Long and then Ryan Watt, as it remained 0-0 at the first buzzer.

The first penalty of the second session, saw Bison new boy Towalski go to the penalty box and Matt Selby’s shot was saved by Baston, before the Herd opened the scoring on the next powerplay.

Rene Jarolin was the scorer as he made the most of good work by Aaron Connolly and Long.

This spurred Swindon on, as they hunted an equaliser with Nell and Adam Harding went close.

Baston then produced a super stop to deny Jan Kostal during Swindon’s third powerplay of the night with an excellent shot from the wing.

The final period saw the Bison pick up another penalty this time to Kurt Reynolds, but despite this, the visitors doubled their lead thanks to a great strike from Long.

The Herd then added a third goal from Jarolin, his second of the night, after he was set-up by fellow Slovak Miroslav Vantroba.

Swindon tried to find a way past Baston in the final minutes, but the Finnish-born goalie recorded his third shut out this season for the Bison, as he turned away all 27 shots he faced.

The victory for the Bison ended Swindon’s eight game winning run at home and moved the Herd three points behind the league leaders Peterborough Phantoms after their loss at Milton Keynes.

The next game for the Bison is this evening at 5.30pm against the Bracknell Bees.

Their Berkshire rivals were beaten last night 5-2 at home by the Guildford Flames.