OXFORD City Stars ended a six-game losing streak when they drew 3-3 away to Bracknell Hornets.

The visitors were disappointed not to beat the team at the bottom of English National League South Division 1.

But there was a bright spot as Darren Elliott scored on his first game back after injury.

The hosts had the better of the early exchanges, as former Stars players Ben and Josh Ealey-Newman saw their chances saved by visiting keeper Tom Annetts.

Stars’ best chance fell to Joe Edwards on the breakaway but the home netminder Danny Milton denied him

With Stars’ Josh Florey picking up a two-minute minor penalty for hooking, Bracknell’s Danny Hughes opened the scoring on the powerplay after good work by Michel Oravec and the impressive Josh Martin.

They made it 2-0 just before the end of the first period when Ryan Handisides tucked in a loose puck that the Stars defence had failed to clear after Annetts had made the initial save from Oravec.

The second period saw the Stars up their game with Jesse Lye and Jaroslav Cesky going close.

They pulled a goal back midway through the period, when Lye skated forward and set up Elliott, who found the back of the net.

Stars stepped up the pressure and while Ben Ealey-Newman served a penalty in the sin-bin, Dominic Hopkins tipped a Brendan Baird shot past Milton to make it 2-2.

Less than a minute later, Stars were in front.

Dax Hedges won a challenge on the boards and passed inside to Mike Whillock, who again fed inside for Hallam Wilson to fire home.

The third period again saw chances at both ends, as both teams’ defences seemed unable to clear their defensive zones.

Hornets drew level in the 50th minute when Stars once again failed to clear and Sam Cheema netted with a wrist shot.

The game then boiled over briefly, as Hornets’ Liam Underdown was penalised for a checking manoeuvre from behind.

Whillock was hit by four minutes of penalties for roughing plus a game misconduct for leaving his teams’ bench to do so.

The visitors pushed for a winner, with Cesky dominating the puck, but they could not produce find a clinical finish.

At least Stars’ losing run was over, but they are still looking for their first win since November.