OXFORD City Stars’ fightback proved in vain as they slipped to a 4-3 home defeat in their first game of the season.

Stars trailed 3-0 to Wightlink Raiders early in the final period of their opening South Division 1 match of the campaign.

They showed great spirit to hit back and level at 3-3, but Ryan Webb’s goal three minutes from full-time gave the visitors the points.

Stars failed to capitalise on an early Wightlink penalty, Josh Ealey-Newman’s shot which drew a save from Matthew Colclough the closest they came.

Another penalty passed without incident, before Stars were left a man short, although safely saw out the powerplay to end the first period level at 0-0.

After the interval, however, Wightlink took control as the match hotted up.

Stars’ Dax Hedges and new import Joonas Liimatainen were sent to the sin bin – along with the visitors’ Corey Watkins – after a fight broke out.

It was actually the hosts who went closest to scoring with the players off the ice, Ealey-Newman again thwarted by some good defensive work.

Wightlink broke the deadlock midway through the second period, Brendan Baird netting after good work from Ben Paynter and Daniel Rose.

Stars were presented with a great chance to level when Sam Cheema and Baird were sin-binned, but could not capatalise on their two-man advantage.

And they were made to pay when Baird scored in the final minute of the period.

When Danny Ingoldsby made it 3-0 two minutes into the third period, the game looked over.

But they hit back when Hedges, assisted by Josh Florey and Ben Nethersell, scored.

Three minutes later, Ondrej Pekarik made it 3-2 after fine work from Nethersell and Joe Edwards.

The Oxpens crowd hit fever pitch when Edwards levelled four minutes from time.

But the celebrations were short-lived, less than 30 seconds later Webb finding the net to give Wightlink victory.