Ice hockey: Sheffield Steelers win on road at Guildford Flames, but home form is hurting them with loss to Belfast Giants

And here’s another: Steelers are trailing way behind Belfast Giants – and we are not just talking about this season either.

Saturday’s 0-4 home collapse to the Irish saw them second-best in every department.

Last season Belfast had benefited from Sheffield’s similar end-of-season collapse to romp home to the EIHL title, by seven points, the same margin they are enjoying over Steelers now.

Coach Aaron Fox isn’t hiding from the fact his team has lost four out of five matches to Adam Keefe’s men this term or that his players have not managed a single goal against the league leaders in the last 125 minutes.

Or that they have won only four of their last nine home games, while their road form has been good – including Sunday’s 4-1 win at Guildford Flames

Some fans are rebelling, pointing out that their club is ‘fourth in a four-horse race’.

After Saturday’s home disaster, Fox acknowledged that the pathway to success was now more difficult.

He spoke candidly of how they had endured a hard time trying to get the puck past 6ft 4ins Giants’ goalie Tyler Beskorowany “for a long time now, not just this year”.

Giants were more aggressive and their top line was the best in the league for two years, he said.

In a season featuring 10 home losses, this 4-0 embarrassment was the latest – and yet they showed they can do the business in the win in Surrey.

Fox chose to make multiple line changes on Sunday, with Calle Ackered back instead of Tomas Pitule.

Martin Latal had an effort winched off the line and Sheffield piled on the pressure with Danny Kristo and Robert Dowd testing home netminder Eamon McAdam.

Guildford players hadn’t seen much of thier beds after winning in Dundee the night before and they conceded a goal from Marco Vallerand at 34:36.

Four minutes later, Steelers doubled their lead through Brett Neumann.

Flames clawed their way back when Brett Ferguson’s deflected power play shot went past Matt Greenfield after Davey Phillips was called for boarding.

But Evan Mosey, back on a forward line, brought stability with his first goal in 18 appearances followed by Brendan Connolly’s empty netter.

It represented fine road form just 24 hours after the Challenge Cup-winning Giants had shut them out 4-0 at Broughton Lane.

Giants had initially profited from a dubious penalty called against Dowd.

Davey Phillips then broke his stick in the defence of his net; the D-man resembling a second goalie as he tried to block a shot, but Matthew McLeod put Giants ahead.

Belfast were a sight to behold.

Strong on the puck, well marshalled, fast, and physical yet disciplined.

Ben Lake used traffic in front of Matt Greenfield to score number two.

Then it all turned even more ugly.

Vallerand was chucked out after a disputed check to the head and Scott Conway tipped home a third for Giants.

When Brandon McNally lost his rag and similarly headed back to the dressing room, the pressure cooker atmosphere boiled over into the stands with a clipboard being thrown on to the ice, hitting an official.

A fan was escorted from the Arena and an empty net goal from Mark Cooper concluded a thoroughly miserable night.