It was a case of so near, yet so far, as Lightning staged a dramatic third period fightback to run Manchester Phoenix close at Altrincham.

After falling 5-0 behind with less than a quarter of an hour to go Lightning then made an amazing comeback only to suffer the agony of a 5-4 defeat.

Phoenix player coach Tony Hand put his side 1-0 after only 3mins 28secs and Marcus Kristofferson then assisted as Curtis Huppe doubled the lead on 14mins 25secs.

If things were looking gloomy for the visitors by then they got worse as Huppe capitalised on a 34th minute tripping call on Lukas Zatopek with a strike at 35mins 35secs.

By the second break it was 4-0 to the home team with Kristofferson getting his name on the scoresheet.

Seconds before the break MK had a goal washed out and it really looked as though it would not be their night.

James Neil added to the misery with Manchester’s fifth goal timed at 45mins 45secs.

Less than a minute later Gary Clarke set up Blaz Emersic to score at 46mins 37secs. Monir Kalgoum got his first goal since returning from injury on 51mins 38secs and with Adam Carr registering unassisted at 53mins 34secs it was suddenly game on.

When Carr stepped up and converted a penalty shot at 55mins 55secs the impossible suddenly looked possible. Sadly it was not to be.

Manchester Goals

3.28 Hand, Morgan, Kristoffersen DP
14.25 Huppe, Kristoffersen, Duggan E
35.35 Huppe, Hand, Gomeniuk PP
39.15 Kristoffersen, Hand, Huppe E
45.45 Neil E

MKL Goals

46.37 Emersic, Clarke, ChristieE
51.38 Kalgoum, Emersic, Clarke PP
53.34 Carr, Clarke E
55.55 Carr PS

Manchester Penalties

17.24 Miller, 2 mins, holding
28.41 Duggan, 2 mins, slashing
36.45 Morgan, 2 mins, holding
48.51 Kristoffersen,  2 mins, roughing
48.51 Kristoffersem, 2 mins, high sticks
48.51 Huppe, 2 mins, roughing
50.28 Wood,  2 mins, hooking
60.00 Hand, 10 mins, abuse of official

MKL Penalties

8.10 Towalski, 2 mins, holding
8.10 Towalski,  10 mins, abuse
34.03 Zatopek, 2 mins, tripping
48.51McPherson, 2 mins, roughing
48.51Hollyhead, 2 mins, slashing
48.51 Wales, 2 mins, roughing

Shots on Goal

Manchester – Fone – 8, 22, 10 = 40
MKL – Hollyhead – 14, 10, 9 = 33

Referee – Steve Wardell
Linesmen – Chris Neil, Andy Miller