Oxford City Stars go into Saturday’s crunch match at Cardiff Devils knowing victory would ensure their survival in English League South Division 1 and condemn their opponents to relegation.

A precious late equaliser in a 4-4 draw away at Bracknell Hornets meant Stars went three points clear of bottom side Cardiff.

Bracknell had started the stronger and netminder James Skaife made a good save in the opening seconds of the game.

However, Stars put together some forward possession and took the lead from James Pentecost after Darren Elliott’s shot rebounded.

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The visitors, though, were made to pay when two players were penalised on separate occasions in the second period, both for slashing.

First, after Mason Wild was penalised, the Hornets took just 11 seconds on the powerplay to level the game through Carl Thompson.

The home side took the lead after Mike Whillock was penalised, when Danny Hughes scored just nine seconds into the powerplay.

It was, however, to be Stars’ final penalty of the game.

With Bracknell trying to push on, Stars broke clear and Tom Avery set up Dax Hedges to level the game at 2-2.

But Oxford themselves were caught on the break when they had a man advantage, after Bracknell’s Josh Martin took a holding penalty.

Valdemar Pelikovsky put the Hornets 3-2 up, but their lead was again shortlived as Josh Oliver hit back a minute later for Stars on the same powerplay to level the game.

Bracknell had the better of the third period and retook the lead when Hughes got his second goal to make it 4-3.

It looked like the home side might hold on, but Stars refused to roll over.

Elliott, Pentecost and Evan Mackintosh went close before – with just over two minutes left on the clock – Mackintosh scored to secure a draw for Stars.

Oxford’s last two games of the season see them travel to the bottom and top sides of the division – Cardiff and Chelmsford – on the final weekend.

And the late point at Bracknell could be crucial as, with Cardiff holding the tiebreaker over Oxford, the Stars knew that if they had lost their final three games they would be relegated.

It means that, even though Cardiff have a game in hand, Stars’ destiny is in their own hands.