The Basingstoke Bison sit proudly on top of the table after they opened their league campaign with two magnificent 7-4 victories, with five goals coming from Sota Isogai. 


The first came against the visiting Telford Tigers on Saturday night and was swiftly followed by another success away to the Peterborough Phantoms the following evening.


The Bison were minus Alfie Goddard and Reece Cochrane for the whole of the weekend but started well against visiting Telford and in the space of under a minute managed to hit each post thanks to Charles Farmer and Brendan Sellan.


Even though they were playing well it was against the run of play that they found themselves 1-0 down at 14:54, as Finley Howells netted on the powerplay.


The Herd replied within two minutes as Stuart Mogg found Sellan and he scored with a lovely back hand finish.


The home side then took the lead 25 seconds later as Jay King’s long pass down the left wing found Sellan and he centred for the on rushing Alex Sampford to score to make it 2-1 at the first break.


Within two minutes of the restart, the Bison extended their lead further as Farmer’s shot was gloved away by Telford netminder Daniel McGowan. Mac Howlett picked up the puck in the corner and fed Charlie Risk to score from the top of the circle.


Telford replied 63 seconds later, as their man of the match Caelan McPhee scored from close range.


As the teams continued to trade goals the Herd were next to score as their man of the match Sota Isogai fired a rocket into the roof of the net at 26:22.


Just over a minute later, the Tigers roared again as McPhee found Scott McKenzie at the back post to make it 4-3 at the second buzzer.


As the period came to a close Bison’s Tyton Cathcart took exception to Tate Shudra knocking over home netminder Ben Clarke-Leach and fought the Telford man which earned each player five minutes for fighting, while Shudra was given an extra two minutes for goalie interference.


Early on in the final session Telford tied the game on the powerplay thanks to a finish from Harry Ferguson.


However, the home side edged in front again as Farmer found Sampford and a great return pass on the back hand saw a nice finish from Farmer at 46:58.


Soon after Corey Goodison’s shot from the left wing pinged off the pipework, but that was closest the Tigers would get for the rest of the game.


The Bison then stampeded to victory with two further strikes, the first came from Isogai after he skated down the middle of the ice found Howlett on the left wing and then converted the return pass.


It was left to Captain George Norcliffe to complete the 7-4 win as he spun away from Telford’s Rhodes Mitchell-King and skated in alone to score.


The following night, in Peterborough, the first 20 minutes was an even affair, but it was the Phantoms who led 2-0 at the first break after goals from Henry Newell and Dillon Lawrence.


It could have been more, but for a spectacular save from Bison Ben Clarke-Leach as he denied Luke Ferrara.


The Herd then hit penalty trouble at the end of the period and the Phantoms finished it with a two man advantage for 50 seconds.


This rolled into the second period and as the first penalty ran out, the Herd picked up another to remain two men down, but Clarke-Leach stood tall and stopped Evan Hill as he tried to poke the puck home at the back post.


Back to full strength, the Herd hauled themselves back into the contest at 24:51. Good work from Adam Harding and Norcliffe was finished by Hallam Wilson, as he flicked the puck over the Peterborough goalie.


Soon after, Clarke-Leach again came up with a superb stop as he denied Ferrara.


After this the Bison dominated the rest of the period with some lovely passing moves and scored three unanswered goals.


Isogai was the first to net as he was found behind the goal by Howlett and he skated out in front and produced a lovely back hand finish.


Within a minute, Farmer’s great pass to Sampford had the Herd ahead 3-2.


Then in the final minute of the period, Isogai netted his second on the powerplay through the legs of the netminder, which gave the Herd a two goal lead at the second break.


Just 66 seconds into the final period, the Bison added their fifth of the night, after Sellan found Farmer in space and he hammered home.


Isogai then completed his superb hat-trick as he robbed Dom Gabaj of the puck and slotted home at 52:37 to make it 6-2.


Then late powerplay goals saw Peterborough able to add to their tally thanks to man of the match Adam Berg and Ferrara.


However, nine seconds after their last goal the Bison struck again as Farmer found Sampford to make sure of the 7-4 victory. 


This weekend, the Herd are at home to the Hull Seahawks on Saturday (6.30pm).


Then on Sunday they travel to face the Romford Raiders which starts at 5.15pm.


Both teams like the Bison opened their league season with two wins last weekend.