A DEPLETED Solihull Vixens ended up on the wrong side of a 5-2 scoreline at the hands of Women’s Elite League leaders Bracknell Queen Bees.
The Vixens started the season with 21 players, but due to a combination of injury problems and career moves, six have already been lost leaving a bench which was under strength.
However, the remaining 15 Vixens remain in good spirit and are fully focused on ending the season in the play-offs in order to defend their play-off crown.
The game against Bracknell started at a furious rate but Solihull were up for the challenge and competed equally with play being spread between the two offensive zones.
But it was the hosts who opened the scoring as early as 4.05 through Margeurite Laffitte.
However, Vixens were level by 4.44 when Kennedy Wallace supplied Katie Henry for an instinctive top shelf strike.
Parity lasted just 45 seconds, though, when Sophie Herbert put the home team back in front at the close of the first period.
The second period started with Solihull having refreshed legs and once gain they pulled level after 23.14 when Jess Urquhart fed Saffron Allen to score.
Once again Vixens’ joy was short-lived as Emily Harris put Bracknell back in front at 25.25.
During the third period, Bracknell showed their advantage of a full bench and a tiring Solihull could only hold out until 47.48 when Harris found the net again to make it 4-2.
Herbert then struck at 49.03 to complete the scoring.
If it was not bad enough for Solihull, with five minutes remaining Hannah Maurice broke her wrist after colliding with the boards.
Vixens entertain Streatham Storm on Sunday.
