Oxford City Stars got off to a disastrous start in their English League play-off campaign, with a 6-4 home defeat to Cardiff Devils.

However, the game appeared to turn on a controversial decision by the officials.

With Stars leading 2-0 thanks to Dan Prachar's early double, the referee gave Cardiff a lifeline.

After Oxford netminder Jamie Thompson cleared the puck past the blue line - meaning it could not be returned until every Devils player was outside that zone - the visitors fired the puck into the net, with a man still yards offside.

Despite actually colliding with the Cardiff linesman, the referee controversially allowed the goal.

Stars were furious, and Gary Slevin was handed a ten-minute misconduct penalty for his protests.

The decision unsettled the hosts, and seconds later the Devils drew level.

Although Oxford's Mark Krater clearly had both of his hands on the stick, the referee penalised him for holding.

This time, it was Darren Elliott's turn to serve a ten-minute misconduct penalty.

Steve Fisher scored on the powerplay to make it 2-2.

To rub Stars' noses further into the ice, at the end of the period, a Cardiff player was called for use of the elbows.

But as the referee did not know who it was, the penalty was served by a substitute.

Oxford were still rattled as the second period got under way.

Scott Gough went down behind the play with a facial injury, giving his side a powerplay as Cardiff's Wes Spencer was punished.

However, they paid the price for pushing too many men up when the Devils broke for Alex Madge to score.

Spencer then added No 4, and when Madge made it 5-2, the game looked all over.

Derek Flint converted a Gough pass to give Oxford hope, and Slevin's goal just before the end of the period made it 5-4.

However, despite being well on top in the third period, Stars could not make their pressure count.

They suffered the knockout blow when Phil Manny scored Cardiff's crucial sixth goal with two minutes remaining, leaving Oxford with no way back.

SCORERS

Oxford: D Prachar 1+1, G Slevin 1+1, E Chalmers 1+0, D Flint 1+0, A Green 0+2, M Krater 0+1, S Gough 0+1.

Cardiff: W Spencer 2+1, S Deacon 1+1, A Madge 1+1, P Manny 1+1, S Fisher 1+0, J Dancey 0+1.