The Swindon Wildcats delivered a maximum-points weekend, overpowering the Telford Tigers at home before edging out the Romford Raiders in a goal-laden battle on the road — with forward Caden Villegas marking his Wildcats debut weekend in style.


 


SATURDAY – Swindon Wildcats 9–1 Telford Tigers


 


Swindon wasted no time asserting control at the Link Centre, opening the scoring inside the first minute through #71 Edgars Bebris.
That early breakthrough set the tempo as the Wildcats surged ahead, adding goals from #23 Logan Vande Meerakker, #72 Glenn Billing, and  #26 Caden Villegas.


 


The second period continued in the same vein. Villegas struck again, with Ben O’Connor on the power play and Ryan Wells also finding the net, while Telford switched goaltenders midway through the frame.
Swindon’s control carried into the third: Aaron Nell and Vande Meerakker pushed the total to nine, with Swindon also rotating their netminders late on.


Telford’s lone reply arrived at 53:05 through David Thomson, but the night belonged to the Wildcats as they closed out an emphatic 9–1 victory which included a multi-point showing from Villegas on his debut weekend.


 


SUNDAY – Romford Raiders 4–5 Swindon Wildcats


Sunday brought a very different challenge in Essex, where Swindon sealed a tense road win in a back-and-forth contest that saw both sides exchange momentum.


Swindon grabbed the early initiative when #16 Reed Sayers struck in the opening period, but penalty calls on both teams kept the rhythm stop-start.
Romford hit back early in the second with a power-play goal from #67 Jarrett Baker, starting a see-saw stretch in which the scoring came thick and fast.


A Wildcats power-play marker from Vande Meerakker restored the lead, only for the Raiders to respond again through Thomas Palmer and Tjay Anderson.
Swindon surged back with two quick goals — Vande Meerakker and Owen Griffiths — sending the Wildcats into the break ahead.


Romford closed the gap through Baker once more in the third, but Swindon found what proved to be the game-winner at 53:17 courtesy of Vande Meerakker.


Late penalties, goalie changes — including empty-net deployments by Romford — and a tense finish couldn’t pry the points away. Swindon stood firm and skated off with a 5–4 win.


THE WEEKEND IN SUMMARY



The Wildcats collect four points and send a message as they continue their push into the next phase of the season.