6:00pm Monday 22nd February 2010
By Nigel McFarlane
BASINGSTOKE Bison all but ended Manchester Phoenix' EPL title hopes with a 4-2 win on Sunday.
Ed Courtenay added two goals to his impressive season's tally but his side lost further ground on Milton Keynes.
Phoenix needed a win to not only erase their 8-2 cup stuffing to the Lightning on Thursday but also to keep pressure on those above them.
But they were lacklustre and were made to pay for their prolificacy in front of goal.
Basingstoke's Player-Coach Steve Moria opened the scoring after 10 minutes then Ondrej Lauko netted a shorthander to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Courtenay bagged a brace before the half hour mark to level it up, but Moria notched his second to put the Bison back ahead.
And five minutes into the final period, former Hull star Shaun Thompson added his side's fourth.
“We needed to bounce back after Thursday's disappointment and whilst all round, we were better, we just couldn't get our noses in front,” Phoenix Player-Coach Tony Hand said. “Right now it just seems as though a lot of what we try falls on stony ground. It'sfrustrating, but we won't lie down and accept it.”
Jaakko Hagelberg missed the match due to a three-game suspension for high sticks in Thursday's 8-2 EPL Cup loss to Milton Keynes.
The Finn has also notched up multi-disciplinary points and that meant a further two-game penalty.
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