A DEPLETED Oxford City Stars remain winless in the National League South 1 BBO Cup after suffering a 6-2 defeat to Milton Keynes Thunder at Oxpens.

The hosts were without a number of key players, with Andy Cox, Joe Oliver and netminder Tom Annetts sidelined through injury.

Ben and Josh Ealey-Newman were also absent after leaving the club for Bracknell Hornets, with whom they drew 3-3 in their cup opener.

Against Thunder, Alan Green had a couple of early chances for Stars, before both sides survived powerplays.

The hosts took the lead towards the end of the first period as Ben Nethersell slid the puck past netminder Dave Wride.

However, the visitors hit back within two minutes of the restart through Connor Goode.

And when Jason Ikin was penalised, Stars were forced to survive several tense moments on the powerplay.

Green was next to be penalised and shortly after Thunder’s Ross Bowers made it 2-1.

Tom Mboya then received a hooking penalty for the visitors, but Stars were unable to take advantage.

And instead Milton Keynes extended their lead to 4-1 with Jamie Line and Jakub Klima scoring within two minutes of each other.

The penalties continued to mount up in the third period, before Ondrej Pekarik went close for Stars.

With seven-and-a-half minute remaining, the home side called a time out and it looked to have worked.

After Thunder had been penalised once again, Josh Oliver netted on the rebound, assisted by Pekarik.

Stars looked to add to their tally, but were undone by another goal from the visitors as Klima took advantage of netminder Shannon Long being out of his net.

The hosts made a last-ditch attempt to rescue the game, replacing Long with another outfield player, but it did not work out.

Instead, Ross Green made sure of victory with ten seconds to go.

A LATE goal from Ondrej Pekarik earned Oxford City Stars a thrilling 6-6 draw at London Raiders.

The visitors put in a battling display in the National League South Division 1 clash, with the forward netting a lastgasp penalty shot.

Alan Green gave Stars a fifth-minute lead while the hosts had Jake Pitchley in the penalty box.

And it was a similar story for their second goal as Pitchley again found himself in the referee’s bad books and Jake Florey made it 2-0.

But Raiders replied before the end of the first period as Pitchley made amends to fire home, while Stars had Logan Price off the ice after netminder Shannon Long had been penalised.

In the second period, the hosts raced into a 4-2 lead, thanks to Marek Nahlik, Kamil Kinkor and Bailey Chittock goals.

But Stars responded brilliantly, with Pekarik and Joe Edwards scoring to level the match.

In the third period, Pitchley and Nahlik restored Raiders’ two-goal lead, but Boris Ruzicka replied for Stars.

And minutes from the end, the London netminder was penalised for knocking the net off and Pekarik converted the penalty shot for a draw.