OXFORD City Stars recorded their first win of the South Division 1 season with a 5-2 victory over Milton Keynes Thunder in a feisty affair at Oxford Ice Rink.

Taking to the ice for the third time this term, Stars were without Andy Cox, Josh Florey and Richard Wojciak.

But Wayne Fiddes made his first appearance of the season and was joined by Dale White to shore up Oxford’s defence.

Stars’ Gareth Endicott received a penalty for kneeing after just 76 seconds as the opening ten minutes saw a series of scuffles breaking out on the ice.

Oxford head coach Ken Forshee was called for slashing and Thunder’s Jamie Randall for cross-checking, with both players picking up additional penalties for roughing.

Darren Elliott and Nidal Phillips went toe-to-toe and were also penalised.

Oxford’s Paul Gore and Thunder’s Connor Goode also received slashing penalties, before Stars broke the deadlock in the final minute of the period when Dax Hedges fired home at the back post.

The pile-up at the net, however, resulted in another brawl and this time Lee Featherstone and Josh Oliver received penalties.

Although the second period was a little bit calmer, both sides continued to pick up penalties.

Stars captain Elliott seemed to be targeted by Thunder, but he provided the perfect resp-onse when he doubled Oxf-ord’s lead.

Milton Keynes’s David Coffey was then penalised for blatant interference, and Forshee fired the puck across the face of the net for Endicott to tap home for 3-0.

Simon Howard then grappled with an Oxford player to incur another penalty.

Oliver notched Oxford’s fourth goal five minutes into the third period, before Milton Keynes import Maros Stefanco struck twice in three minutes, the first an excellent individual effort.

Thunder pressed forward in a bid to reduce the deficit further.

But after another powerplay, Fiddes scored the goal of the night for Stars with a first-time shot from a bullet of a pass from Elliott to seal victory for the hosts.