SAM Brooks' hat-trick was all in vain as the Basingstoke Buffalo lost their penultimate game of the season 10-6 at Oxford against the Bristol Pitbulls.
It was the visitors who struck first as experienced pair Simon Beere and Neil Leary combined with the Leary finding the net at 13:23.
The home side hit back to lead 2-1 at the first break after goals from Michael Hargreaves and Nathan Chilcott.
The first goal of the second session went to the Buffs as Travis Penny scored from Cam Buckle.
However, two goals in the space of 10 seconds for Pitbulls from Zach Dolphin and Jamie Newton made it 4-2 at 27:37.
Janne Virtanen then added a fifth, before Brooks scored his first of the evening assisted by Buckle and Matt Byrom.
Bristol then made it 6-3 from Dolphin, but the Buffs replied again from Brooks with this time Penny getting the helper.
It was left to Adam Coakley to wrap up the second period scoring for the home side as they went in 7-4 up.
After the interval, the home side's Nathan Darmanin netted, before Brooks completed his hat-trick with a shorthanded strike.
Darmanin then grabbed his second of the night and former Bison star Richard Hargreaves took the home side's tally to 10.
It was left to Samuel Hemming-Maher to wrap up the scoring with a goal for the visitors.
This evening, the Buffalo final game of the season at the Cardiff Fire has been postponed.
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