Oxford City Stars remain rooted to the foot of the South Division 1 table after suffering back-to-back defeats.

Despite putting up a brave fight at last season’s quadruple champions Chelmsford Chieftains, Stars fell to a 7-4 loss.

And 24 hours later they were on the end of another reverse, going down to an agonising 5-4 home defeat at the hands of Milton Keynes Thunder.

Oxford took the lead in Essex when player-coach Darren Elliott scored his 191st goal for the club.

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But the hosts quickly hit back through James Ayling and Ross Brears to go ahead.

Elliott levelled and after Martin Piecha restored Chelmsford’s lead, Joe Oliver found the net to make it 3-3.

Matthew Turner, however, edged the home side back in front and Darren Brown extended the advantage.

Joe Edwards gave Stars hope when making it 5-4, but late goals from Brears and Piecha ended any chances of a comeback.

The encouraging display meant Stars entertained Milton Keynes with renewed confidence.

Things started badly when Piotr Poziomkowski put the hosts ahead, only for a moment of brilliance from Edwards to level matters.

The Stars man, who charged back towards his goal to reclaim the puck, beat one challenge before shooting the puck more than 80ft straight into the top right-hand corner.

Still on a high after the equaliser, Oxford were made to pay straight from the face-off, when Josh Nicklin re-established Thunder’s lead after six seconds of the restart.

When Jamie Line scored to make it 3-1, Stars were in trouble.

Josh Oliver reduced the deficit within a minute of the second period, and then Michal Tomasik made his biggest impact since joining in the summer, scoring a stunning goal from another James Pentecost pass to level up the game.

Oxford had the bit between their teeth and Pentecost yet again found the perfect pass to set up Tomasik, who fired in to give the Stars the lead for the first time.

But that was to prove as good as it got.

Despite out-shooting their rivals 29-27, they could not find a way past netminder Damien King.

And goals from Poziomkowski and Line gave Milton Keynes the points.

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