Final score: Braehead Clan 1-4 Sheffield Steelers

It’s the fourth time Sheffield have beaten the Clan, the last a 6-0 hiding in October.

On Friday night, they gave a debut to Finnish d-man Miika Franssila - but it was another offensive blueliner, Mark Matheson, who stepped up to score a wrist shot at 11;39 after a build-up figuring Scott Aarssen and Jonathan Phillips.

Matheson could have doubled his output but Ryan Nie saved.

And the reprieve set up Clan who levelled exactly two minutes after the opening goal, through Tyler Scofield’s shot which squeezed past Ervins Mustukovs.

Clan pressed and Landon Oslanski hit the post before the first break.

Franssila showed the offensive instinct he was brought in for at the start of the middle session and Colton Fretter was the next to hit the post,

But it was another d-man, Ben O’Connor, Steelers second highest points scorer, who put Steelers 2-1 up at 36:02.

Former Steeler Christoffer Björklund tried to prompt a Clan revival.

But Matt Marquardt made the road game safe with a left wing shot past Nie with under 10 minutes left.

Mathieu Roy added an empty net goal with seconds remaining.

*Cardiff Devils, joint third on points with Sheffield beat Guildford Flames 4-2.